Rio Ferdinand Reveals His Strategy to Stop Erling Haaland if He Played Against Him
One of the biggest mysteries in the Premier League is how defenders can contain Erling Haaland.
The Manchester City striker has made a habit of dismantling defenses across England, leaving fans and pundits alike in awe of his sheer pace, strength, and goal-scoring prowess.
After Haaland’s recent hat-trick in City’s 4-1 victory over Ipswich Town, his record against Premier League teams grew even more intimidating. The 24-year-old Norwegian has now scored against every single team he has faced in the league, a feat few strikers can boast.
His dominance extends to the “Big Six” clubs as well, with an impressive tally against the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea. As long as he remains at Manchester City, Haaland seems poised to continue his reign of terror in the Premier League.
However, former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, widely regarded as one of the best defenders in Premier League history, recently shared his insights on how he would attempt to stop Haaland if he were still playing.
Drawing from his experience facing some of the game’s greatest strikers, including Thierry Henry, Sergio Aguero, and Ronaldo Nazario, Ferdinand emphasized the importance of teamwork and preparation in dealing with a forward as formidable as Haaland.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ferdinand said, “I think it’s going to be a tough task. Definitely, definitely hard. But I never ever went into a game thinking it’s just going to be me and that striker. I would talk and communicate to the likes of Owen [Hargreaves] and Michael Carrick in front of me.”
Ferdinand explained that communication and coordination with teammates are crucial when facing a player of Haaland’s caliber. He stressed the need to disrupt Haaland’s supply line by putting pressure on the players who feed him the ball. “Don’t let him get his head up. Don’t give him time to play the ball to my danger man,” Ferdinand advised.
Reflecting on West Ham United’s recent struggles against Haaland, where the Norwegian bagged a hat-trick, Ferdinand pointed out the importance of not allowing Haaland too much space to exploit.
“They basically said, right, we’re going to be as wide and as big and as open as the Euro tunnel and you can run through and go in on goal if you want,” Ferdinand remarked, criticizing West Ham’s defensive setup.
Ferdinand also highlighted the need to be physically assertive with Haaland, noting that defenders like William Saliba, Virgil van Dijk, and Gabriel Magalhaes have found some success against him by being touch-tight and making his movements awkward.
“Just step in his way. Just make him have to take another step. Or shift his step or be a little awkward,” Ferdinand suggested.
Despite these strategies, Ferdinand acknowledged the difficulty of containing a player of Haaland’s quality, noting that it often takes just one moment for the prolific striker to find the back of the net. “All it takes is a moment for Erling Haaland to come alive,” he warned.
Ultimately, Ferdinand concluded that while his advice may help defenders across the Premier League, it remains a formidable challenge to keep Haaland quiet for an entire game.
The reality is that it requires a near-flawless performance from both the individual defender and the entire team to prevent Haaland from making his mark.
Rio Ferdinand Reveals His Strategy to Stop Erling Haaland if He Played Against Him
