Thierry Henry has identified how Erling Haaland can better hold up the ball amid the scrutiny around the sharpshooter’s all-round play, after Roy Keane’s recent brutal assessment. While the 23-year-old went goalless, nobody would doubt his ability to find the net. However, it is what he offers when he is unable to add to his tally that has been taken to task in recent weeks. Henry has provided a more constructive critique for the former Borussia Dortmund star, however.

The French pundit offered a simple adjustment that could be made. “I always, always say that I’ve seen strikers not scoring but playing really well for the team away from home and doing exactly what you need to for your team away from home, or even at home,” Henry told CBS Sports. “But more often than not you judge a striker for his goals – fair enough, we already know that. People can get better and I believe in that.

But there is one thing that he doesn’t do ever so well, and he’s always shoulder to shoulder with the defender, so you can go like this, and get your foot around. “But if you are like this [square on, hand on defender’s shoulder] there is no way you can get that ball now. I’ve created a distance, you can’t get the ball. Even at three-quarters, you can protect the ball.

“The level of his general play is so poor – and not just today; his laying stuff off, headers or whatever it might be,” he said in March. Not just today. He has to improve that. He’s almost like a League Two player – that’s the way I look at him.

His general play has to improve. It will do over the next few years. [He’s a] brilliant striker but he has to prove his overall game. Has to.”

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