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Roy Keane asked 'were you smoking weed?' after slamming Erling Haaland again
Roy Keane was grilled after his criticism of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
Manchester United icon Roy Keane was asked if he was “smoking weed” by ex-NFL star and current Burnley co-owner JJ Watt over his criticism of Erling Haaland. Keane had claimed that the Manchester City striker was “like a League Two player” in terms of his general play in a recent stinging analysis.
Keane had been far from impressed during City’s 0-0 draw at home to Arsenal, with Haaland firmly shackled by Gabriel and William Saliba. He felt that the Premier League’s leading goalscorer this season offered little once again when he wasn’t bearing down on goal, comparing him to a fourth-division standard player.
"The levels of his general play are so poor. And not just today but in general," Keane told Sky Sports. "In terms of front of goal he's best in the world, but his general play is so poor. He's almost like a League Two player. That is the way I look at him. His general play has to improve.”
And Keane had no issue defending his stance when quizzed by the Stick to Football podcast, which saw the Irishman alongside Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Ian Wright and Jill Scott, joined by Watt.
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“I don’t know what the big deal is,” Keane explained. “I give Erling Haaland praise every week, I give Manchester City praise, and I think he’s an amazing striker. But his general play is that of a League Two player. And I’m glad you are not agreeing with me, I don’t expect people to agree with me.”
Carragher and Wright had agreed that Haaland’s quality outside of the box was not to the standard of his team-mates, but Keane’s comments took aback former NFL defensive lineman Watt. He jokingly checked whether Keane had been under the influence and replied with: “League Two striker? Were you smoking weed?”
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Watt even got a wry smile out of Keane who explained further that Haaland needs to improve his general play for City to dominate in the bigger games. He was marked out of the recent Champions League quarter-final tie by Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger and Keane doubled down on his ‘League Two’ view.
“His general play, week in, week out is nowhere near good enough,” Keane added. “As a goal scorer and a striker, the best – and I said that. His link-up play, the way he lays the ball off, sometimes the options he gives his teammates or the options he doesn’t give them – as a striker and a goal scorer the best in the world, but his other play is that of a League Two player.
“The game against Arsenal was tough because they did well to contain the whole game, but in general, I don’t think what I said was a big deal. He’s a young player and he will improve, and I guarantee you that Pep Guardiola sits with his staff on everything and say that he needs to do more, specifically when he’s not getting chances or loads of goals."