MARTIN KEOWN: You HAVE to use the dark arts with Erling Haaland to try and bully him. I used to thrive on stopping somebody being at their best… and the Norwegian is the ultimate test
- Haaland believes he can beat anyone right now after a record-breaking season
- You’ve always got to be in his way and try to unbalance him when defending him
- I used to thrive on stopping someone being their best. And he’s the ultimate test
If you start wrestling with Erling Haaland when the ball is on its way, it’s too late. You have to control the area around yourself before he does.
You’ve always got to be in his way. You’ve got to unbalance him and permanently have an arm on him to put him off balance. Give him a little nudge here and there. He will try to turn the tables and do that to you — he gives as good as he gets.
You always need the last touch and last say — it’s not a game of tig!
I used to thrive on stopping somebody being their best. And Haaland is the ultimate test.
Antonio Rudiger is a good defender, dogged and quick and strong and aggressive — but he’s also in a fine Real Madrid team and he needs help from them when they face City in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Martin Keown (right) believes you have to use the dark arts to stop Erling Haaland (left)
The Germany defender needs to take charge and say, ‘We’re going to play to my rules, not yours’. At the moment, Haaland thinks he can beat anyone, but you’ve got to make him doubt himself.
Like Yerry Mina for Everton, you have to try some dark arts, whether that’s giving him a pinch or stepping on his foot accidentally-on-purpose. Someone pinched me at Galatasaray when I was playing for Everton in a friendly. Ruud van Nistelrooy was always trying to step on my feet.
If you’re pinching Haaland, he might just move away. You’re trying to get in his head… or even bully him.
It’s hard to bully Haaland, though. He runs like the wind, he’s 6ft 4in, he’s a goalscoring machine but someone has to think, ‘Over my dead body’.
Think back to when City beat Arsenal last month; the Gunners allowed Kevin De Bruyne too much space to combine with Haaland. So it’s more than just one battle. Rudiger and his Real defence need help from all around.
I remember some great fights with Alan Shearer and Gabriel Batistuta, but neither of them could run like this fella.
If I were building the perfect goalscoring machine, it would be something like Haaland. He’s quick, powerful, great in the air, hungry for success; he’s completely fired up and loves every minute of it when he’s in the zone.
Like Yerry Mina for Everton (left), you have to try some dark arts, whether that’s giving him a pinch or stepping on his foot accidentally-on-purpose
It’s a ferocious test but Rudiger is up for it and I think he loves it, too.
If he stops Haaland, he’s man of the match and then it becomes a legendary performance against someone who will go on to be one of the greats.
Pep Guardiola will surely mention Mina and Rudiger in his press conference today — especially their dark arts — and this will get in the head of the referee. The defenders have to be firm but fair.
They mustn’t let him set his stall out.
