‘Don’t care about that man’: Erling Haaland’s savage response to Roy Keane’s ‘League Two’ comment

Manchester City's Erling Haaland has given a ruthless response to player-turned-pundit, Roy Keane after the latter claimed that the forward's gameplay was comparable to a fourth-tier player.

Haaland scored four goals in City's 5-1 demolition job against the Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday (May 4) to keep pressure on league leaders, Arsenal, who are ahead by a point, having played one match extra.

“I don’t really care that much about that man, so that’s all right,” Haaland told Viaplay when asked about Keane's continued criticism aimed at him.

Haaland's rather bitterresponse toward Keane could also stem from the long-running feud the Manchester United player had with his father Alfie Haaland. Notably, Keane was notoriously sent off for a horrible tackle withHaaland senior in 2001. The tackle was partly responsible for Alfie having to cut short his playing career.

What did Keane say?

In March, after City and Arsenal played a goalless draw where Haaland wasanonymous for large portions of the game, Keane launched a scathing attack on the Norwegian for being a passenger for the team.

"The levels of his general play is so poor. Not just today, I think his laying stuff off, headers, whatever it might be - in front of goal he's the best in the world - but for his general play for such a player it is so poor," Keane told Sky Sports.

"He has to improve that. He's almost like a League Two player, that's the way I look at him. His general play has to improve, and it will do over the next few years," Keane added.

The pundits largely agreed that Haaland's all-round play as a striker leaves a lot to be desired especially when big teams do not give him any space. However, despite his limitations, Haaland has been a goal-scoring machine for City who are eyeing a historical fourth Premier League title on the trot.

Manager Pep Guardiola was all praise for Haaland after the match and suggested the Norewegian had finally fully recovered from the foot injury.

"He was injured, an important one, he's so tall and you need time, he's not like Julian [Alvarez] or Phil [Foden] who with nothing can be ready. The penalties are not easy but the second and the fourth was unbelievable. Really pleased for him," said Guardiola.

City next play Fulham, away from home at Craven Cottage. A win would put them ahead of Arsenal with only two matches remaining in the 38-match season.

(With inputs from agencies)