Jamie O’Hara firmly believes Erling Haaland is simply not a big-game player.
Off the back of Haaland’s five-goal masterclass against Luton Town, the pundit decided to call him out on talkSPORT.
After the Manchester City striker’s devastating display in the FA Cup on Tuesday, he took his goalscoring tally to 27 goals in all competitions.
Jamie O’Hara says Erling Haaland is not a big-game player
However, Jamie O’Hara continues to believe Erling Haaland does not deliver in the big games.
“He is a beast”, O’Hara opened.
“He’s got to do it in the big moments though, mate.”
“It’s alright doing it at Luton on a Tuesday night in the FA Cup. He’s got to do it in a massive game.”
“Yeah, I’m calling him out.”
“He’s got to do it in a final! Do it in a big game.”
Absurd to question Erling Haaland as a big-game player
In our view, it is bizarre that Jamie O’Hara has questioned Erling Haaland as a big-game player.
This season, the 23-year-old has managed to score against every ‘Big Six’ team barring Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.
Erling Haaland scored the opener against Liverpool and Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium and a brace against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Last season, the £375,000-a-week (Sport Rac) man managed to put the ball in the back of the net against Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham as well.
Even at Dortmund, Haaland managed to deliver against sides like Paris Saint-Germain and in the derby against Bayern.
If the criteria for a striker to be classed as a big-game player is for him to score against every top side they face, in that case, no number nine can be counted as one.
In fact, no player can be regarded as one that steps up in big games as even the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have had games where they have not been at their brilliant best.
Such a view of football is an absurd one to say the least, especially after a striker has scored five goals, which is an incredibly rare feat.
