Erling Haaland was once again the celebrated man at Manchester City yesterday. The Norwegian made everyone’s jaws drop with a four-hit winner and remains a real goal machine. Yet he also swallowed unexpected criticism, or not entirely?
Hallucinous figures
After beating Arsenal earlier that day, The Citizens absolutely had to win to keep the title dream in their own hands. KDB and co did this in style by beating the Wolves 5-1.
It was remarkable that Haaland managed to score 4 times in just 54 minutes. The Norwegian now has 25 goals and 5 assists again this season in the Premier League, mind-blowing figures.
And yet Kevin De Bruyne’s teammate also regularly accepts criticism. In the top matches he is often ‘invisible’ and his role in the build-up often leaves much to be desired, that is the opinion of ex-footballer Roy Keane.
Keane-Haaland mud fight for years
The latter seems to have been fighting a feud with the Haaland family for years. In 1997, Erling’s father, Alf-Inge Haaland, lashed out at the midfielder in a match against Leeds United. The Norwegian accused Keane of posturing, the latter took it badly and would later hit back hard.
In 2001 he committed a brutal foul on Alf-Inge’s knee in the Manchester Derby. Keane later admitted it was an act of revenge because the Norwegian had called him a poser four years earlier. Haaland Sr would eventually end his career not much later after a knee injury, albeit on the other knee. Keane received an additional suspension (and fine) at the time when he admitted that it was a deliberate action to injure the Norwegian.
Keane’s words will undoubtedly have reached Haaland Jr., but the latter responded with a quip for the Viaplay camera. “I really don’t care about that man,” was the short answer from the top scorer to the statement that the striker did not reach ‘League 2 level’ at certain times. He later changed that opinion to ‘The Championship (second tier).
