Erling Haaland set target by father’s old foe Roy Keane after Man City debut | Football | Sport
Sky Sports pundits Keane and Micah Richards were discussing how many goals the 22-year-old could score with the City midfield supplying him, and the former Manchester United midfielder claimed that with penalties he could reach new heights after he got his first City goal from 12 yards.
“Very comfortable for City,” Keane said. “Haaland, people doubted whether he could settle in the Premier League quickly, great quality, great run, he’s going to get chances. We’ve seen it today people talking 20-odd goals, he’s taking penalties it’ll be 30, 40 goals. He is going to get chances if he stays fit and healthy with the players around him. Good luck to the defenders coming up against him.”
After Keane tipped Haaland to get over 30 league goals, ex-City defender Richards said that with a strong supply line behind him the forward will score plenty of goals. “I think with the creativity behind him, De Bruyne getting the assists today it’s just brilliant,” Richards said. “Yes his hold up play will improve but that movement in the final third was expectational. He will score 20, 25+ goals on that evidence today.”
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Haaland’s father Alf-Inge was at the London Stadium to watch his son’s debut, and his own playing career was ended due to injury caused by Keane’s tackle on the former City man in 2001. The Irishman was sent off for a poor challenge, suspended for eight games and fined £200,000.
Richards joked that he had “never seen Roy so nervous” when the broadcast mentioned that Alf-Inge Haaland was also in the stadium, and told Keane that Haaland senior was waiting for him after the game.
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Keane was full of praise for the former Borussia Dortmund man. “For the movement, for such a player, he’s 22 you get that when you’re more older, more mature but at such a young age it’s football intelligence,” Keane added. “We never thought he’d miss the penalty and the second goal he got.
“That little movement, the darting runs, he’s like [Cristiano] Ronaldo. Doesn’t want to get too involved but when he’s in the box he comes alive and I think he’ll be disappointed with that chance that he didn’t hit the target.”
Haaland was told off for swearing during his post-match interview where he claimed he should have scored more than twice on Sunday. “If you saw the Gundo [chance] right before I went off I should’ve been there so it was a bit s*** but that’s how it is,” Haaland was then interrupted by Sky Sports to apologise for his language. “S*** sorry. Not good language in this country.”
