‘He’s almost like a LEAGUE TWO player’: Roy Keane slams Erling Haaland for his display in City’s 0-0 draw with Arsenal, insisting it’s ‘not just today’ as he tells striker where he needs to improve
- Manchester City were held to a 0-0 draw by an impenetrable Arsenal defense
- Pep Guardiola’s team managed only one shot on target from twelve attempts
- Why defeat to Arsenal will be the curtain raiser for Man City’s title defense – Listen to the It’s all Kicking Off podcast
Roy Keane gave a scathing assessment of Erling Haaland’s performance in Manchester City’s 0-0 draw against Arsenal at the Etihad.
The Premier League’s top scorer endured a frustrating afternoon against the Gunners’ frugal defence, which meant he had few touches during the match.
However, Keane believes the display is indicative of Haaland’s overall quality in open play and demanded his all-round game improve.
‘The level of his overall play is so poor, and not just today, I think his overall clearance, headers or whatever it may be in terms of front of goal is the best in the world.’ He said this after the match on Sky Sports.
‘But considering his overall play for such a player, it’s so bad, and not just today. I think he needs to improve on being almost a League Two player.
Erling Haaland had a frustrating afternoon as he failed to put his stamp on the match as Man City drew 0-0 with Arsenal
Roy Keane (left) slammed the 23-year-old’s overall play and demanded he improve
“That’s the way I look at him. His overall game needs to improve and will continue to do so in the coming years. There have been brilliant attackers, fantastic. But he needs to improve his all-round game.”
Haaland wasn’t the only one struggling to keep Arsenal’s defense in check, but his inability to participate in the build-up phase was particularly noticeable on Sunday afternoon.
The 23-year-old had 23 touches in the match, no shots on target and no key passes, as the home side trailed league leaders Liverpool by two points.
Arsenal’s central defensive duo William Saliba and Gabriel were almost always on the attack throughout the entirety of the draw.
Despite topping the Premier League table with 18 goals (two ahead of three tied for second), Haaland has been criticized for his all-round play and notable misses.
He scored the third goal in a 3-1 win over Manchester United earlier this month, but only after an incredible miss from two yards in the first half.
Haaland has also struggled to match his goal scorers from the early part of this season, when he scored in nine of his first 15 league appearances.
Since a lengthy layoff due to a stress fracture either side of the New Year, he has found the net in three of his nine appearances and bagged a brace in just one. The numbers remain impressive, but represent a decline from his previous production.
Haaland was taken out of Sunday’s match due to Arsenal’s aggressive defensive plan
The forward had just two attempts on goal, both blocked, on a frustrating afternoon against Arteta’s side
On Sunday, Pep Guardiola’s team failed to score on their own field for the first time in a league match since October 2021 and had only one shot on target from twelve attempts.
They finished the encounter with an xG at 0.95, despite having 72 percent of the ball against Mikel Arteta’s side.
The result leaves City in third place, one point behind the Gunners but two back of Liverpool, who claimed a 2-1 comeback win over Brighton earlier in the day.
