Who can stop Erling Haaland, Manchester City’s goal scoring machine now? Analyst Roy Keane knows no doubt: Virgil van Dijk.
“If there is anyone who can silence Haaland, it is Van Dijk”
Van Dijk had to deal with the necessary criticism last international period. After his performances with the Orange, Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit questioned the captain’s leadership. “We don’t have a problem with it, it’s a positive criticism that we give. Isn’t he the best? Then show it,” said Gullit.
On Saturday, Van Dijk has a chance to reply to the two former internationals on the field. With Liverpool he will visit Manchester City in the Premier League. Probably a confrontation with the goal machine Haaland awaits him, who, after missing the international matches with Norway, focuses on the squatter.
According to Keane, Van Dijk is able to stop Haaland. “The number of goals is unbelievable for a player of his age. When you play at Man City, as a striker you know that you get opportunities to score,” the former international told Stats Perform. “But then there is also someone like Van Dijk, who is a world-class player. If there’s anyone who can silence Haaland, it’s definitely him.”
Man City stadium expansion coming up: ten percent extra capacity
Manchester City would intend to tap around 340 million euros to expand the stadium capacity to 61,000 seats. The Etihad Stadium can currently accommodate 55,000 visitors.
According to The Daily Mail, the expansion, in combination with a renovation of the north stand, would even cost one billion euros for the club, which is owned by owners from the United Arab Emirates. This includes a new hotel, an indoor fan park, a megastore and a museum to further modernize the facilities.
Talks with fans and local residents about plans for the stadium, which is owned by Manchester City Council, were concluded last Sunday. It is now waiting for government approval to start building. If that is the case, work would start in November.
With the renovation, City would be in the same size class as Arsenal (60,704), Tottenham Hotspur (62,850) and West Ham United (62,500).
