Alf-Inge Haaland responds to rival Roy Keane calling his son Erling a League Two player

Roy Keane claimed Erling Haaland operated like a "League Two player" during a recent Manchester City draw - with his father Alfe-Inge hitting back at his old rival

Alf-Inge Haaland was keen to remind Roy Keane that Erling Haaland is topping the scoring charts in a winning Manchester City outfit after the Irishman claimed his son played like a "League Two player".

Erling Haaland is looking to back up his record breaking campaign and, once again, is on course to land the Golden Boot. The Norwegian also claimed the treble is his first year in England with City still on track to retain all three trophies.

Erling though had, by his own high standards, a quiet game as he struggled to have any impact in the recent goalless draw with Arsenal. The uneventful stalemate at the Etihad was an outing to forget for the striker, with Keane claiming his lack of influence can be alarming.

As he assessed the game the Irishman said: "The levels of his general play is so poor and not just today. I think laying stuff off, headers, whatever it might be. In terms of in front of goal, he’s the best in the world. But his general play for such a player is so poor. Not just today, he has to improve.

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

Alf-Inge though suggested that Keane, with his Manchester United association, could have an agenda when criticising City's main man.

He told ViaPlay football: "Then you have the background of Keane and other experts, who may have a slightly different agenda. They probably think it's a bit okay to come up with that (the criticism). But the team wins, and Erling is still top scorer, so it can't have been that bad."

Keane's feud with Haaland Snr is well documented. It began in 1997 when Alf-Inge, then of Leeds, accused Keane of diving as he went down in the box, but he had in fact torn his ACL. The Irishman claimed he'd have his revenge and did so four years later.

It happened when Haaland was at City. Keane went in for a premeditated challenge with his studs going in on his opponent's knee. That injury effectively ended his career and Keane has vowed to never apologise, whilst Alf-Inge claims he will never forgive Keane.

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