Advertisement

Red card decision, new punishment - Erling Haaland Man City ban verdict after Arsenal outburst

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland talks to referee Michael Oliver
-Credit: (Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)


Is it just Erling Haaland's world and we're all just living in it? After Arsenal's dramatic 2-2 draw with Manchester City it could certainly look like that.

Having been seconds away from the narrative being of a team ready to challenge Pep Guardiola more than ever, City's last equaliser at the Etihad Stadium saw tensions boil over once more on an afternoon that simmered from the start. As soon as Kai Havertz ran into Rodri after kick-off, it couldn't be any other way.

Haaland looked like he would once more run through Arsenal, as he did in the 2022/23 late-season title battle, but resilience showed for Mikel Arteta as a brilliant first-half comeback had them heading into the break ahead. Leandro Trossard's red card turned the dynamic though.

It took City all of 52 minutes to capitalise and find their goal though, sparking jubilant scenes at the Etihad Stadium. For Haaland, who is no stranger to controversy and stealing the spotlight at this ground, the moment got to him.

Celebrating, he picked up the ball and threw it at Gabriel Magalhaes' head. The Brazilian, who had put Arsenal a goal up earlier in the game, had his shirt covering his face in anguish after conceding and didn't offer the sort of response that might have been expected.

Michael Oliver didn't see the incident but VAR did, with the officials at Stockley Park ruling that no action was necessary. Haaland then escalated matters more when he bundled over Thomas Partey following the restart.

READ MORE: Arsenal next five fixtures compared with Man City and Liverpool after Premier League drama

READ MORE: Leandro Trossard Arsenal red card controversy already exposed after Michael Oliver Man City call

Gabriel came to the defence of his teammate and at full-time there was a confrontation between a host of Gunners players and their Norwegian opponent. Taking things into his own hands, Haaland swore at Gabriel Jesus, mocked Arteta, and appeared to throw shade at debutant Myles Lewis-Skelley.

It was only earlier this year that he also found himself face-to-face with Gabriel after the 0-0 draw that was more attrition than entertainment. Here, football.london writers debate whether or not Haaland should be punished regardless.

Tom Coley

Haaland did a lot on Sunday (although not very much to trouble the Arsenal defence in the second half) but none of it was worthy of a red card. There is also nothing here that needs punishing retrospectively, or that can be anyway.

A bit of needle and fire is what these games demand. It was disrespectful and spur of the moment, but not harmful or ultimately that meaningful. Haaland makes the ground his own. It was only in the previous meeting in March that Arsenal's man stood over Haaland and shouted in his face, an act not too dissimilar.

If we want the stakes to be high in matches like this between genuine title rivals then the dial has to be turned up a bit. Whether that is right given what Leandro Trossard was sent off for is another matter.

Kieran Horn

Haaland was at the centre of absolutely everything on Sunday afternoon and could've quite easily been shown a red card for an accumulation of incidents. For his early foul on William Saliba, he was perhaps lucky to avoid a yellow card and players have been sent off for doing less than his reaction to the late equaliser.

It was his conduct after the final whistle though that many may feel is worthy of a suspension or fine. Haaland was involved in two separate arguments on the pitch with one of those a brawl, however he should not really face any major punishment.

There was clearly no sign of violent conduct or dissent to officials that would be deemed worthy of such sanctions and therefore everything looks to have been blown out of proportion with Haaland, who showed far worse conduct after the 3-3 draw against Tottenham, free to escape unscathed.

Gabriel and William Saliba of Arsenal clash with Erling Haaland of Manchester City
Gabriel and William Saliba of Arsenal clash with Erling Haaland of Manchester City

Mark Halsey

Not a football.london writer, but former Premier League referee Halsey told the Sun: "You could argue it's violent conduct because it's like he's throwing an object at someone's head. It's like he's throwing a punch at someone's head.

"So he can count himself very lucky that [referee] Michael Oliver didn't see that and VAR didn't pick it up either. It will be interesting to see if the FA take retrospective action over that incident because it could be construed as violent conduct." He added: "He's used the ball as a weapon, not his fist."

Dermot Gallagher

Speaking to Sky Sports, Gallagher analysed the incident as well. On the ball throw he said: “Running the risk of another melee aren't you because this is what happens afterward, it's just pulled back to 2-2, tempers are high.

"It was a really tough game to referee there's no doubt about that. He had his hands full form the first minute and that's how it culminated.”

Bruna Reis

Erling Haaland's antics during Sunday's game was certainly an entertaining watch for the neutral. However, Arsenal at the other end, might argue about the inconsistency in the game.

Leandro Trossard received marching orders after receiving a second yellow card for kicking the ball away, while Haaland, saw no disciplinary action. You would think that bouncing the ball off the back of Gabriel's head would be worthy of a yellow card.

Perhaps, the reason the Norwegian got away with a booking was because the Brazilian defender showed no reaction. In games like this however, fans want emotion and there was certainly plenty of that at the Etihad.

With that said, I believe a ban does feel harsh but a yellow card wouldn't have gone amiss.

READ MORE: Erling Haaland receives Premier League ban verdict after Man City vs Arsenal flashpoint

READ MORE: Why Erling Haaland escaped punishment for Gabriel ball throw in Man City vs Arsenal drama

READ MORE: Ian Wright goes on X-rated Arsenal rant and tells Erling Haaland straight after Man City incidents

Stephen Killen

The latest instalment of Manchester City vs Arsenal will go down in history as one of the most dramatic. The early season title showdown had everything, drama, needle and entertainment with Erling Haaland not far from the thick of it.

His antics after the equaliser have gone viral after bouncing the ball off the back of a despairing Arsenal defender's head, as well as his post-match back-and-forth. You would think that the incident was a one-off with emotions high.

Although a ban or retrospective action does feel harsh, there does need to be more consistency within football - especially more transparency.

Amie Wilson

While it might be frustrating for Arsenal, handing a retrospective punishment to Haaland would feel like a further neutralising of the game that is not needed. After all, it’s about entertainment, and the fire and needle created by the incidents involving Haaland helped make it such a brilliant watch for the neutral.

The Premier League needs characters in the game, and it’s not like his reaction to the late City equaliser, which involved him picking up the ball and bouncing it of Gabriel’s head with the force he did is going to put the Arsenal man in danger. He didn’t even react to it at the time.

You have to remember that the game was one that was full of emotion, isn’t that we want to see on the pitch, that the players actually care about what is going on? As long as it doesn’t cross the line, which it didn’t on Sunday, then I think it adds to the game and shouldn't be stamped out by handing out retrospective punishments.