Erling Haaland has finally shifted gears. After a relatively quiet start, compared to last season, the Norwegian has unleashed himself. His goal brace against Chelsea means he is now the top goalscorer in the league. Haaland’s performances have seen him earn comparisons to another Premier League goal-machine. Rio Ferdinand is the latest person to analyze the capabilities of Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland. The Premier League icon was quick to lay down his expectations too emphasizing a ’30-goal’ season.

With 69 goals in 71 games, Haaland’s move to Man City has been a big hit. His performances powered the Cityzens to a treble while he was rewarded with the UEFA Men’s POTY award. Despite missing out on the Ballon d’Or to Lionel Messi, the lethal striker looks set to continue his goalscoring exploits and stand amongst the Premier League greats.

Rio Ferdinand puts Erling Haaland up with ‘devastating’ Mohamed Salah

Ferdinand was full of praise for Haaland on ‘Five’. He went on to compare the Norwegian with 3-time Premier League Golden Boot winner Mohamed Salah. He said, “I think it’s a bit like Mo Salah. I think he has got the most goal involvement in the league this year after Erling Haaland, 14 he has got. He is expected to produce 30-goal-a-season seasons. That is part of it. He is a devastating player“. It looks like the Manchester United icon is expecting Erling Haaland to keep up with the sky-high expectations of him.

Rio Ferdinand’s admiration for the players is well-known. He had previously compared Haaland’s mentality to Cristiano Ronaldo while also addressing Salah as one of the best Premier League Players in history. However, beyond the numbers, Salah and Haaland are quite different. Salah attempts more passes (35 vs 14) and is amongst the top 10 players in the league for chances created. Moreover, the Egyptian’s numbers come from the right flank while Haaland is a ruthless poacher lurking around in the box.

He can definitely improve on his overall game. While the lethal striker is already a devastating finisher, adding a bit of playmaking to his game is the next logical step. Perhaps he can take a look at a Newcastle forward, who Rio Ferdinand admires a lot.

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Ferdinand believes that a Newcastle star ‘got more to his game’ than Haaland

Rio Ferdinand is a fan of Alexander Isak. He had remarked, “Potentially, yeah, he could be (second best striker in the league). He’s got more to his game than Haaland. I’m not saying he’s anywhere near…he’s a different player“. It seems that the veteran defender admires the versatility of Isak who is comfortable both on the flanks and as a striker. Could he be hinting at wanting more besides goals from Haaland?

Do you think Erling Haaland can drop deep and influence games similar to the likes of Karim Benzema and Luis Suarez? Let us know in the comments below.

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