Pep Guardiola supports Erling Haaland, whom he considers the top striker globally, following criticism from Roy Keane comparing him to a League Two player.

In a recent Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, showed his unwavering support for Erling Haaland, hailing him as the “best striker in the world.” This came after Roy Keane, a former Manchester United captain and now a pundit for Sky Sports, criticized Haaland’s performance outside the box, comparing him to a League Two player.

Keane expressed his disappointment with Haaland’s general play, stating that it was consistently poor, not just in the game against Arsenal. However, Guardiola swiftly dismissed Keane’s comments, praising Haaland as an exceptional player. He disagreed with Keane’s assessment and emphasized Haaland’s contribution to their success last season.

Guardiola acknowledged that Haaland may have missed some opportunities, but he attributed it to various factors, including the tactics employed by the managers and the quality of the opponents. He emphasized that football is a team sport and success or failure cannot be attributed to a single reason.

Haaland has been in sensational form this season, finding the back of the net 29 times across all competitions. In the previous campaign, he scored an impressive 52 goals, helping Manchester City secure a treble. Guardiola’s side is now aiming to achieve an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title, currently sitting three points behind leaders Liverpool with nine games remaining.

Manchester City’s goalless draw against Arsenal marked the first time they failed to score at home in a top-flight match since October 2021. They will be looking to bounce back in their upcoming game against Aston Villa on Wednesday night. The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

Fans can access TNT Sports through various TV platforms, with up to four TV channels and six digital or red-button channels available. The coverage for the Manchester City vs Aston Villa game will begin at 19:30 on TNT Sports 1, with kick-off scheduled for 20:15. Subscriptions to TNT Sports can be obtained through discovery+, BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media. To find local establishments showing TNT Sports, fans can use the Pub Finder tool.