Roy Keane offered a scathing assessment of Erling Haaland's performance in Manchester City's 0-0 draw with Arsenal at the Etihad.
The Premier League's top scorer endured a frustrating afternoon against the Gunners' thrifty defence which restricted him to few touches in the game.
However, Keane believes that the display is indicative of Haaland's overall quality in open play and demanded that his all-round game improve.
'The levels of his general play is so poor, and not just today, I think his general laying stuff off, headers, or whatever it might be in terms of front of goal is best in the world,' he said on Sky Sports' post-match coverage.
'But for his general play for such a player, it is so poor, not just today, I think he has to improve that he's almost like a League Two player.
Erling Haaland endured a frustrating afternoon as he failed to make his mark on the game as Man City drew 0-0 with Arsenal
Roy Keane (left) slammed the 23-year-old's general play and demanded that he improve
"He's almost like a League 2 player" 😲
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 31, 2024
Roy Keane and Micah Richards were not impressed with Erling Haaland 👇 pic.twitter.com/kbz0qNrTFQ
'That's the way I look at him his general play has to improve and it will do over the next few years. There's been this brilliant strikers fantastic. But he has to improve his all-round game.'
Haaland was not alone in struggling to lay a glove on Arsenal's defence but his inability to participate in the build up phase was particularly noticeable on Sunday afternoon.
The 23-year-old had 23 touches in the game, no shots on target, nor key passes as the home side fell two points behind the leaders Liverpool at the top.
Arsenal's central defensive pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel were almost always touch-tight to the forward throughout the tie.
Despite leading the Premier League scoring charts with 18 goals - two more than a trio of players tied for second-place - Haaland has come under criticism for his all-round play and eye-catching misses this term.
He scored the third goal in a 3-1 win over Manchester United earlier this month, but only after an incredible miss from two yards in the first half.
Haaland has also struggled to replicate his goalscoring exploits from the first part of the current campaign when he netted in nine of his first 15 league appearances.
Since a lengthy lay-off due to a stress fracture either side of the new year, he has found the net in three of his nine outings and grabbed a brace in only one. His numbers remain impressive but represent a drop-off from his previous output.
Haaland was marked out of the game by Arsenal's aggressive defensive plan on Sunday
The forward had just two attempts on goal, both blocked, on a frustrating afternoon against Arteta's side
On Sunday, Pep Guardiola's side failed to score at home for the first time in a league match since October 2021 and had just one shot on target from 12 attempts on goal.
They ended the encounter with an xG on 0.95 despite heaving 72 per cent of possession against Mikel Arteta's side.
The result sees City remain in third, a point behind the Gunners but two back from Liverpool, who claimed a 2-1 comeback victory over Brighton earlier in the day.
