Roy Keane has sharply criticized Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland’s performance after his lackluster display in a 0-0 draw against Arsenal on March 31. Despite being regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, Haaland struggled to make an impact at the Etihad Stadium, missing several opportunities to secure a win for his team.
Erling Haaland has failed to score & have a shot on target against Arsenal in his last 3 appearances:
❌ vs. Arsenal (Community Shield)
❌ vs. Arsenal (Home)
❌ vs. Arsenal (Away)Frustrated. ❌❌❌ pic.twitter.com/U53tqOMSIk
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) March 31, 2024
Gary Neville joked that Haaland ‘looked like he’d never played football’ during that moment, while Keane found fault with Haaland’s display and questioned his overall play. The Manchester United legend told Sky Sports,
The levels of his general play are so poor. In terms of front-of-goal, he’s the best in the world, but his general play is so poor. He’s almost like a League Two player.
Haaland cut a frustrated figure throughout the clash at the Etihad and was nullified by Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba. That’s becoming a constant for Haaland as he’s failed to score in his last three outings across competitions against Arsenal. He was somewhat of a bystander in the drab draw that did neither side any favors in the title race.
Despite his struggles this season, Haaland was heralded throughout last season amid his record-breaking start at Manchester City. He became the first player in history to score 33 goals in a single 30-game Premier League season and won the Golden Boot with 36 goals in 35 games. He also finished top of the UEFA Champions League goalscoring charts with 12 goals in 11 games.
However, Haaland’s been handed somewhat of a reality check by observers this season who question his contribution to City’s play. He was also glaringly quiet in draws against Chelsea and Liverpool (both 1-1). Keane’s criticism of Haaland’s general play adds to the growing debate about the Norwegian’s role in Pep Guardiola’s side.
