Roy Keane compared the all-round football of Erling Haaland to a fourth-tier player after Manchester City’s goalless draw with Arsenal.
Haaland is top scorer in the Premier League this season with 18 and on course for a second consecutive golden boot. But his non-goalscoring attributes did not impress the pundit on Easter Sunday.
“The level of his general play is so poor,” said Keane on Sky Sports. “Not just today, laying stuff off, headers or whatever it might be. In front of goal he is the best player in the world but his general play, for such a player, is so poor.
“He is almost like a League Two player. His general play has to improve, but it will over the next few years. He’s a brilliant striker, he’s fantastic but he has to improve his all-round game.”
It was a chance six minutes from time which stirred the ire of Keane, when Haaland drifted off his marker at the back post from a corner and had a chance to steer in a knock-down. Instead he barely connected, the ball brushing his studs and running out for an Arsenal goal kick.
“Haaland today is a strange one,” said Micah Richards. “He’s obviously an excellent finisher but sometimes in his build-up and hold-up play he finds it very difficult to do. He just misses the ball, obviously he wasn’t concentrating on the connection.”
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
