‘Don’t show Roy Keane this’ – Fans fear for Rio Ferdinand as Man Utd legend claps goal-mad Erling Haaland off pitch

FANS fear for Rio Ferdinand if Roy Keane sees a clip of his fellow Manchester United legend clapping five-star Erling Haaland off the pitch.

Haaland was a goal off the double hat-trick he craved when Pep Guardiola replaced him 63 minutes into Manchester City’s 7-0 rout of RB Leipzig.

Erling Haaland applauds his cheerers, including Rio Ferdinand, but admitted he hoped to stay on to net at least a sixth goal for himselfGetty

Ferdinand applauded along with the Etihad faithful when the striker left the field early as City reached the Champions League quarter-finals with an 8-1 aggregate success.

Ferdy and no-nonsense Keane were long-time United team-mates before neighbours City became dominant.

And one fan said of the England defender’s actions: “Don’t show Roy Keane this.”

After Ferdinand chatted with Haaland on BT Sport, another observer asked: “Wonder whether Roy Keane would ever interview him?”

A third fan was even clearer: “Wouldn’t see Roy Keane doing that, ex Utd captain clapping a City player.”

That drew this response: “You’d never see an ex player from Liverpool, City and Arsenal do that for a United player.”

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher suggested early in the season that Haaland’s style as an out-and-out finisher was unsuited to City’s short-passing game.

And one fan tweeted: “Should have asked Carra if he still thinks Haaland joined the wrong team.”

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Ferdinand himself posted a clip of Haaland’s post-match interview alongside the words: “Freak of nature this guy… fair play.”

Norway goal machine Haaland, 22, said: “It’s a big night. Five goals, to win 7-0 at home, I’m so happy.”

But he added: “I’m a bit blurry. I don’t remember the goals. I just remember shooting.

“I think a lot of it is being quick in the mind and trying to do the right thing, trying to put it where the keeper is not.

“Of course a little bit of it is quality but a lot of it is in the head.”

The ex-Borussia Dortmund hero also light-heartedly bemoaned his manager for replacing him with half an hour remaining when he had a mere five goals to his name.

He said: “I’ve told Pep Guardiola when I went off, ‘I would love to score a double hat-trick!’. But what can I do?!”