Coach Sam Allardyce made his Leeds United debut with a trip to Man City, he revealed the home team’s plan to stop Erling Haaland.
The former England manager replaced the sacked Javi Gracia at Elland Road earlier this week with just four games left in the season. Leeds are currently 17th in the rankings and just above the relegation group in terms of goal difference.
This is one of the fiercest relegation battles in history, with 4 of the bottom 5 teams Leicester, Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Everton just 1 point apart, while the bottom ranked team Southampton is less than the safety group. All 5 points.
Although considered a relegation expert, it is not easy for Big Sam to help Leeds continue playing in the Premier League next season. In the debut match of the new team, he and his students were guests on the field of the top team Man City.
The Citizens are at the top of the table and are currently on a 19-match unbeaten streak, winning 16 of them. Erling Haaland is in great form, he has 35 goals in the Premier League, the record for a player to score the most goals in a Premier League season.
During his pre-match press conference on Friday, Allardyce was asked if he had any special plans to stop the Norwegian. “If you want him not to score, you have to limit his chances of scoring,” he said. In addition to taking care of Haaland, you need to separate him from his teammates.”
“If we can weaken the satellites, he won’t have a lot of balls to shoot. I’ve dealt with a lot of strikers like that when I’m playing, they don’t score as many goals. I’m not sure I can keep him, but you have to be strong enough to stop a player like Haaland.”