Roy Keane saying Erling Haaland is “almost like a League Two player” was “unfair” on the Manchester City striker, says Chris Sutton.
Haaland drew a blank against Arsenal on Sunday and was singled out for criticism by the Manchester United legend after the 0-0 draw. 16 Conclusions are right here, by the way. Read those after this.
League Two Erling Haaland claim was total nonsense – Chris Sutton
On the Norwegian striker, Keane told Sky Sports: “The levels of his general play are so poor.
“Not just today, laying stuff off, headers, whatever it might be… in front of goal he is the best in the world but his general play for such a player is so poor.
“He has to improve that. He is almost like a League Two player. His general play has to improve but it will over the next couple of years.
“He’s a brilliant striker but he has to improve his all-round game.”
A lot has been said about Haaland’s overall play, but as a player who has scored 81 goals in 88 games for Manchester City, he nor Pep Guardiola will care.
Ex-Premier League winner Sutton was not a fan of Keane’s comments, saying “it was total nonsense and unfair” on the City hitman.
He told the Monday Night Club podcast: “It was total nonsense and unfair on Erling Haaland.
“Everybody has sung [William] Saliba and Gabriel’s praises all season. When [Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan] Ortega was clipping balls into Haaland, they’re probably the best at working off a centre-forward’s touch, being really clever with their defending.
“Could Haaland have been a bit stronger, could he have been a bit cuter, could his brain have worked better in those moments? Of course. But at times you come up against brilliant defenders, which [Saliba and Gabriel] were on Sunday.
“They can get so tight and do that because they always have the other one covering round. That makes it difficult for Haaland, but essentially, that’s not what his primary role was when he was brought into Manchester City.”
Sunday was not about Haaland’s performance
Sutton added: “I understand what people say about Erling Haaland’s hold-up play but I don’t think he’s that bad. He wasn’t brought into Manchester City to play a creative role, he was brought in to occupy the centre-halves and for others to create for him because he’s the monster finisher.
“He was never going to hit the heights he hit last season. He’s still an outstanding striker, he’s just off it.
“I don’t think Sunday was about Haaland not being at it, it’s always been about people being able to create an opportunity for him. Haaland did miss an opportunity but that was the only one he really had.”
