Haaland Claims Gabriel Should Have Received Red Card

Manchester City's Erling Haaland believes Arsenal's Gabriel should have been ejected from the game for attempting to headbutt him during City's 2-1 victory over Arsenal. The incident occurred when Haaland outmuscled Gabriel to score the winning goal, leading to a confrontation between the two players. Although Gabriel was booked by referee Anthony Taylor, Haaland thinks the defender was fortunate to avoid a red card. Former official Mike Dean shared Haaland's sentiment, suggesting that Gabriel would have been sent off if Haaland had reacted differently to the incident. Haaland stated, 'I think it's a red card. If I go down like any other guy, it's a red card.' He also expressed that his father taught him to stay on his feet and not react to such provocations. Sky Sports' Gary Neville also weighed in on the incident, saying that Gabriel was lucky to have avoided a stricter punishment. Neville recalled a similar incident from his own playing career, noting that putting one's head against an opponent is acceptable, but pushing forward can result in a red card. The incident was reviewed by former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher and Jay Bothroyd on Ref Watch, with differing opinions on whether Gabriel should have been sent off. Gallagher believed the referee made the right call, while Bothroyd thought Gabriel was lucky to have escaped a red card. Haaland's winning goal has brought Manchester City within three points of the league leaders, with a game in hand. The team is focused on their next match against Burnley, which could potentially see them return to the top of the table for the first time since August.