Rio Ferdinand spent a number of the pre-match build-up mocking Manchester Metropolis’s lights present – however was giving Erling Haaland a standing ovation by the hour mark.
Haaland destroyed Leipzig in a shocking present of ruthless brilliance to ship Manchester Metropolis into the Champions League quarter-finals.
Their last-16 tie was evenly-poised after a 1-1 draw on the Purple Bull Area, however the Etihad was handled to a commanding 7-0 victory on Tuesday night.
Haaland grew to become the third participant in Champions League historical past to attain 5 objectives in a sport – there are a lot of extra of such unfathomably phenomenal statistics to marvel at – with Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin de Bruyne providing their two cents within the second half.
Pep Guardiola is not any enjoyable, nevertheless, and thus substituted Haaland with about half an hour remaining.
The Norwegian was robbed of the chance to finish a double hat-trick however was given arguably a good better honour: a standing ovation from Ferdinand from the BT Sport studio.
Even clapped off by a United legend. What a participant. What a efficiency. 👏 pic.twitter.com/Dpuf9rL1m0
— Jake Humphrey (@mrjakehumphrey) March 14, 2023
It represented a slight change of tack from Ferdinand, who mocked Manchester Metropolis for his or her mild present earlier than the sport.
“We don’t want stuff like this at Previous Trafford,” he mentioned in a video posted to his Twitter account.
“We don’t want all these lights. We don’t want these lights. We don’t want these lights at Previous Trafford.
“For actual, at Man Utd we don’t want these mild exhibits.”
Fellow pundit Joleon Lescott was readily available to ship a obligatory retort: “Yeah, properly these are Champions League lights. Europa League don’t want these lights.”
In an interview with the BT Sport panel after the game, Haaland described it as “an enormous evening”.
The 22-year-old added: “I really like this competitors, as all people is aware of. 5 objectives. To win 7-0 at dwelling. I’m so completely happy.
“Numerous objectives immediately, I didn’t suppose. I used to be simply doing it. On the penalty, I used to be simply attempting to get the ball into the again of the online. Identical with the second purpose. Identical with the third purpose. Identical with each purpose. I didn’t suppose on each single purpose.
“So I believe a number of it’s simply being fast within the thoughts and to do the appropriate factor and attempt to put it the place the keeper shouldn’t be. Slightly little bit of it, in fact, is high quality, however a number of it’s within the head.”
On Guardiola taking him off within the 63rd minute on 5 objectives, Haaland mentioned: “I instructed him once I went off, ‘I’d love to attain a double hat-trick!’. However what can we do? We’ve to go off.”
