"He's not held at the same standards of other strikers" - Ex-PL star criticizes Erling Haaland's performance against Liverpool

Jay Boothroyd has urged Erling Haaland to do more than score after his quiet outing in Manchester City's 1-1 draw against Liverpool on Sunday (March 10).

John Stones' clever 23rd-minute opener was cancelled out by Alexis Mac Allister's 50th-minute penalty. The two title rivals settled on a draw meaning Arsenal remained top of the league with 10 games remaining.

Erling Haaland was somewhat of a bystander at Anfield and was barely involved in the game. He had just one shot at goal and his 22 touches were the lowest of any outfield City player who started the game.

The Norweigan superstar has continued his remarkable goalscoring form this season since joining City in July 2022. The 23-year-old has bagged 29 goals and six assists in 33 games across competitions.

However, Haaland wasn't at his best against Liverpool and Boothroyd felt the Premier League's top scorer wasn't a good outlet for the visitors. The former Wolverhampton Wanderers striker told Sky Sports:

"When Liverpool are pressing and they've (Manchester City) got no outlet, the only thing they can do is put it up to Haaland... He has to get hold of the ball. You're putting it up to someone who's 6 foot 4, strong, he has to get hold of that ball."

Haaland's physique and power have caused problems for defenders ever since arriving at City. But, Liverpool's defensive duo Virgil van Dijk and Jarell Quansah nullified his threat at Anfield.

Boothroyd touched on this:

"He needs to do more when he doesn't score and that's my criticism of Haaland. He's a great goalscorer, he's a threat, he will occupy defenders. But when he's playing against top teams like Liverpool, Van Dijk and Quansah yesterday, when he played in the Champions League final last year it was the same kind of thing."

Boothroyd argued that Haaland fails to get involved in games against top teams. He claimed that the Norway international isn't judged due to his goalscoring record:

"He's not really involved in the game and he's not held at the standards of other strikers because of his goalscoring ability."

Erling Haaland won the Premier League Golden Boot last season (36 goals in 35 games). He also finished top of the UEFA Champions League goalscoring charts (12 in 11) as City won the treble. But, his lack of involvement in high-profile games has been highlighted this season.

---

Jamie Carragher makes a bold claim about Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk in comparison to Erling Haaland

Virgil van Dijk is enjoying one of his best seasons.

Liverpool captain Van Dijk played a pivotal role in Erling Haaland's frustrating afternoon at Anfield. The Dutch defender was excellent, making four tackles, four interceptions, and two clearances.

Van Dijk has been a stalwart for the Reds this season and a key reason why Jurgen Klopp's men are challenging for the title. He's appeared 26 times in the league, helping his side keep eight clean sheets. He's also scored two goals and provided as many assists.

Jamie Carragher waxed lyrical about Van Dijk when analyzing the game as a pundit on Sky Sports. He argued that the Netherlands skipper is a better defender than Haaland is a striker:

"Erling Haaland is the best centre-forward in the world and for me, Van Dijk is right up there as the best centre-back but I actually think he’s a better centre-back than Haaland is a striker."

Van Dijk has been one of the Premier League's most highly-admired defenders for several years. His dominance in the air, ball-playing abilities, and consistency have seen him touted as the greatest defender in English top-flight history.