The former Manchester United midfielder had strong words for the Manchester City forward.
Roy Keane has said that Erling Haaland is “behaving like a spoilt brat”, in his latest criticism of the Norwegian goalscorer.
Speaking on Sky Sports in the build-up to Liverpool’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield this afternoon, the Irishman said: “We saw Haaland yesterday being brought off. Not looking too happy. Behaving like a spoilt brat. But because they win the game and he scores goals, it’s almost forgotten about.”
When Sky Sports presenter David Jones suggested that maybe it’s “alright” to behave like a spoilt brat if you scored four goals, the former Sunderland manager responded: “No, not really. No, it’s not.”
Keane then stared at Jones and a couple of seconds of silence were left hanging in the air, before fellow pundit Daniel Sturridge erupted with laughter.
"Behaving like a spoilt brat"
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 5, 2024
Roy Keane is not holding back about Erling Haaland 😬 pic.twitter.com/GKiGV44zR8
The league leading goalscorer, Haaland, put four past Wolves’ keeper Jose Sa at the Etihad yesterday afternoon, to keep Pep Guardiola’s side one-point behind league leaders Arsenal with a game in hand heading into the final couple of weeks of the season.
After Manchester City drew in a goalless game against the Gunners at the end of March, Keane referred to Haaland as being “almost League Two level”.
When asked about Keane’s comments by journalists following yesterday’s emphatic performance, the 23-year-old said: “I don’t really care that much about that man, so that’s all right.”
The back and forth between the young striker and the 52-year-old pundit has a deep backstory.
Back in his playing days, Keane suffered a damaging cruciate ligament injury in a challenge with Erling Haaland’s father, Alfie Inge, who was playing for Leeds United at the time.
At the time, Haaland had accused the former Republic of Ireland captain of feigning injury.
Four years later, during a Manchester derby at Old Trafford where Haaland was playing in midfield for Manchester City, Keane took him out of the game with a deliberate high-tackle and was subsequently sent off.
Keane later revealed in his book that the challenge was an act of retribution.
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