Man Utd legend Rio Ferdinand disagrees with Jamie Carragher that Man City are a “lesser team” with Erling Haaland in the side.
The Norway international has been in brilliant goalscoring form for the Citizens since joining in the summer transfer window from Borussia Dortmund.
Haaland has scored 31 goals in 28 in all competitions, 25 of those coming in the Premier League but Man City are yet to hit top form with the 22-year-old in the team.
Second-placed Man City are currently five points off Premier League leaders Arsenal – who also have a game in hand on them – while Man Utd have closed to within three points of Pep Guardiola’s side.
And over the weekend former Liverpool defender Carragher insisted that both Man City and Haaland are currently worse off with each other.
“I think we’re only seeing 60 per cent of Erling Haaland,” Carragher said on Sky Sports. “He’s come from Borussia Dormund and a counter-attacking league where it’s end-to-end, you see that blistering pace he’s got, but we don’t see it [now].
“He may have actually picked the wrong club to get the best out of him. We’re not seeing everything of Erling Haaland.
“He’s scored 25 league goals but Manchester City as a team have scored the same amount of goals, but they’ve conceded more and it’s far easier to counter-attack them as well.
“They’re a different team and a lesser team with Erling Haaland in the team, but it’s not his fault.
“Manchester City as a team will not play end-to-end football, it’s not Pep Guardiola’s way, they build up slowly, push the opposition back to the edge of the box and play from there.
“Erling Haaland will still score 25 league goals but we’re not seeing the full package of what this player can do because of the team he’s gone to.”
But Ferdinand doesn’t think Haaland has made Man City “worse” and Ferdinand reckons more of Guardiola’s players need to take responsibility for their inconsistent performances.
“I see some people saying he has made Man City worse. I don’t know how you can put 25 goals into a team and it makes you worse,” Ferdinand told his FIVE Youtube channel.
“I can’t get my head around it, just can’t. One thing in the way he plays that is definitely a negative to the way they [City] play compared to last season and the season before is there number nine before would drop in whether it’s Jesus, they would Gundogan sometimes, Foden, Sterling, that number nine would drop in and create an overload.
“Even more numbers so the dominance and control of games was probably a bit more superior in seasons gone by and that would have been one of the key elements.”
Ferdinand added: “Haaland is an out-and-out number nine, he stays high and occupies the centre-half so they have one less body coming back behind the ball,” Ferdinand said.
“He gives you that something else they never had, that threat in the box, he finishes the chances off and his connection with De Bruyne earlier int he season no one was moaning then when the goals were going.
“He’s a great addition, he’s the best thing since sliced bread. What I would say is I hope Pep is showing them videos when their first ball sometimes isn’t him.
“He is creating opportunities but is sometimes not being seen. The team have to take responsibility as well not just him.”
There have been rumours in the Spanish press this week that Haaland is ready to ‘divorce’ Man City over his ‘very distant’ relationship with Guardiola.
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