Roy Keane has re-addressed his comments about Erling Haaland after he branded the striker a ‘League Two player’.
Keane made headlines last month for his scathing criticism of the forward, whom he criticized for his overall play in a period when he was struggling for form as he bid to help fuel Manchester City’s treble.
That momentum has now ended due to the club’s Champions League exit to Real Madrid, a match in which Haaland was injured and missed his team’s FA Cup semi-final and 4-0 win against Brighton.
However, he returned to action as a substitute against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, coming off the bench to score City’s second goal in their 2-0 win and ensure they remained in control of the title race.
Former Manchester United player Keane spoke about Haaland again after the game on Sky Sports and praised the striker a little more than he did a few weeks ago.
Roy Keane has revised his comments in which he labeled Erling Haaland (left) a ‘League Two player’.
Haaland marked his return from injury with a goal in Manchester City’s victory over Nottingham Forest.
Keane jokingly gave Haaland an upgrade, insisting he is now a ‘championship player’
“He was very much like a championship player, he’s improved a lot,” Keane said. “In terms of goalscorer, he is absolutely incredible, there is no doubting the quality of him in terms of finishing.”
“When he comes in, he will want to have an impact on the game and when he stretches like that, he will have people like (Kevin) De Bruyne, he will find you and then it will be that bit of sharpness that he has shown.”
Despite not reaching last season’s high of 52 goals that he recorded last season, Haaland has had a successful year, scoring 32 goals in 40 games in all competitions.
This time he faces competition for the Golden Boot, having scored 21 league goals, one more than Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and two more than Alexander Isak and Ollie Watkins.
The 23-year-old, however, is ready to propel his team to their fourth consecutive league title – a Premier League record – and may have regained his form following his injury.
Haaland has been in difficult form and had missed two games before his return.
However, he is now fit again and looking to win the Golden Boot and help City lift the Premier League.
Prior to his absence, Keane had criticized Haaland’s all-round game, insisting that his game should be about more than scoring goals and that he had a number of improvements to make.
“The levels of his general game are very poor, and not only today, I think his general passes, headers or whatever in terms of facing the goal are the best in the world, but for his general game for such “A player , he’s so poor,” Keane said of Haaland after City’s 0-0 draw with Arsenal. “Not just today, I think he has to improve, he’s almost like a League Two player.
“That’s how I see it: His overall game has to improve and that’s how it will be for years to come.” There have been brilliant and fantastic forwards. But he has to improve his game in every way.”
