Haaland Claims Gabriel Was Lucky to Escape Red Card

Erling Haaland, Manchester City's striker, has stated that Arsenal defender Gabriel should have received a red card for his attempted headbutt during City's 2-1 win over the Gunners. The incident occurred when the two players clashed, and Gabriel leaned his head into Haaland, but both players were booked by referee Anthony Taylor. Haaland thinks that if he had reacted differently, Gabriel would have been ejected from the game. 'I think it's a red card,' Haaland said. 'Most people agree with me. If I go down like any other player, it's a red card. That's not something I would do. My father taught me to stay on my feet.' Former official Mike Dean also suggested that Gabriel was fortunate not to have been sent off. Haaland's comments were echoed by Sky Sports' Gary Neville, who believed Gabriel had been lucky to avoid stricter punishment. The incident has sparked debate, with some arguing that Gabriel's actions warranted a red card, while others believe the referee made the correct decision. The win for Manchester City means they now sit three points behind the league leaders with a game in hand, and a win against Burnley on Wednesday could see them return to the top of the table for the first time since August.