Haaland and City to sue Keane and United
The Norwegian international and the Maine Road club confirmed last night they are pursuing both Keane and Manchester United for damages. They have jointly instructed a legal firm to commence proceedings.
The former City skipper has played just once for the Blues since the April 2001 horror tackle which forced him out of the club's successful Division One promotion battle last season.
Haaland last night confirmed the planned legal action on the Icons.com website.
"Following discussions today between the football club, myself and my legal advisers, it has been agreed to jointly instruct a leading firm of solicitors regarding the circumstances surrounding Roy Keane's tackle," he said.
Haaland still has two years of a contract to run with the Premiership club but his career is practically over since that now infamous derby clash of 16 months ago.
Keane's revelation in his new autobiography, to be published later this month, had fuelled speculation that Haaland and City would take legal action.
The Manchester United captain admitted he had a three-year feud with Haaland.
He disclosed in the new Eamon Dunphy-penned book, "I'd waited long enough. I f***ing hit him hard."
Manchester City is expected to sue both Keane and his Old Trafford employers on the grounds that the crunching tackle ruled Haaland out of the end-of-season relegation battle in 2001.
Haaland's presence in the side, it will be argued, could have helped City avoid the drop from the Premiership.
Publishing house Penguin disclosed this week that pre-launch orders of over 100,000 for the new book, simply called Keane, had guaranteed it to be a bestseller and an immediate No 1 in both Britain and Ireland book charts.
Further serialisation of the autobiography continues this weekend in British newspapers and Penguin said further newsworthy revelations are on the way.
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