The fraternal bond between elite players has led to less and less rival banter in recent years, but Manchester City megastar Erling Haaland is making it clear that he will not tolerate what he considers to be silly comments from Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash at Anfield.
Haaland used an interview with our partners at Sky Sports to respond to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s comments on Thursday, in which the Liverpool star argued that trophies won by the Reds mean more to the club and its fans than trophies won by Manchester City due to the latter’s larger budget.
Alexander-Arnold will not have to face Haaland on Sunday owing to injury, but the remarks add to an already intriguing encounter at Anfield. After all, the result could determine who wins the Premier League Trophy.
Many traditionalists will undoubtedly echo Alexander-Arnold’s views, and the theory has merit, albeit followers of other clubs will see Liverpool’s large budget as nothing special.
And Haaland was quick to reference Manchester City’s treble from last season as a really wonderful feeling.
What did Trent Alexander-Arnold say about Manchester City?
“It’s difficult,” Alexander-Arnold told FourFourTwo. “You’re up against a machine designed to win.” That’s the simplest way to define the City and its organization.
“Looking back on this era, although they’ve won more titles than us and have probably been more successful, our trophies will mean more to us and our fanbase because of the situations at both clubs financially — How both clubs have built their teams and the manner in which we’ve done it probably means more to our fans.”
Manchester City has outspent Liverpool by a factor of two over the last decade, although the Reds’ net spend has been more negative than City’s during the last three seasons, while City’s net spend over the last five seasons has trailed Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham, Newcastle, and Aston Villa.
Ironically, mutual rivals Manchester United have spent more than both sides combined, outspending City by more than 200 million pounds.
Erling Haaland responds to Alexander-Arnold’s statements.Haaland’s answer to Sky Sports is reminiscent of verbal firefights from the past, however the Norwegian made sure to shroud his statements in the sense of superiority.
“If he wants to say that, then okay,” Haaland told Sky Sports. “I’ve been here a year and won the treble, and it was a lovely sensation; I don’t think he understands that emotion. So yeah, that’s how I felt last season, and it was fairly good.
“They can talk as much as they want, or he can talk as much as he wants, I do not know why he does that, but I do not mind.”
Liverpool has historically had a larger fan base than Manchester City, and no one disputes that the latter’s meteoric climb to worldwide supremacy was boosted significantly by nearly unrivaled expenditure.
However, Haaland is correct in saying that Alexander-Arnold’s assertion that City fans, players, and staff did not enjoy their victories as much as the Reds is ridiculous. Victory is delicious.