Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker in agreement over Gabriel headbutt on Erling Haaland as accusation launched

Alan Shearer has criticised VAR after Gabriel Magalhaes was not sent off for an incident with Erling Haaland during Manchester City's 2-1 Premier League win over Arsenal

Alan Shearer has delivered a critical assessment of VAR following the confrontation between Gabriel Magalhaes and Erling Haaland during Manchester City's victory over Arsenal, accusing officials of failing to apply the rules correctly.

City secured a 2-1 win over the Gunners in the Premier League fixture at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Haaland netted the decisive goal for City, who also saw Rayan Cherki get on the scoresheet, though his effort was cancelled out in the first half after Kai Havertz closed down Gianluigi Donnarumma's clearance.

As the match entered its final 10 minutes, tensions flared between Haaland and Gabriel, with the Arsenal defender appearing to push his head towards the City striker.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our City WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our City Facebook page by clicking HERE and don't miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

Referee Anthony Taylor handed yellow cards to both players following the incident, with the decision confirmed by VAR, which also resulted in City manager Pep Guardiola receiving a booking after his objections.

Shearer has now weighed in on VAR and the absence of a red card for Gabriel, with the Newcastle legend not holding back his criticism of the decision.

“The VAR sent the referee to the screen last week in the Man United game [vs Leeds] for a tiny tug of the hair, if anything, and [Lisandro] Martinez is sent off for violent conduct,” Shearer said on the Rest is Football podcast.

“Yet you look at Gabriel, who shoved his head into Haaland’s head, how on earth is that not a red card? Seriously, what is going on in our game with VAR?

“My take on it is that they [VAR] probably said, 'We don’t really want to get involved in the title race, and we might not be seen sending someone else off.’

“I think Haaland has done Gabriel a favour by not going to the ground, because so many other players would have gone to the ground when he stuck his head into his.

“Clear red card it should have been.”

FOLLOW OUR MAN CITY FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester City Facebook page

Shearer was joined on the podcast by Gary Lineker and Micah Richards, with the former Everton and Barcelona striker agreeing with his fellow pundit.

“I agree, it was a red card,” Lineker said.

Richards then put forward his reasoning for understanding why Taylor chose not to send off Gabriel, while still concurring that the Arsenal defender deserved a red card.

“In fairness, in a game of this magnitude, I totally agree with you, and you both raise good points,” Richards said.

“But you don’t want to see someone sent off for that. By the laws of the game, he [Gabriel] should have been sent off, we all know that.

“Because there was so much back and forth, as a viewer and someone impartial watching the game, you don’t want to see someone get sent off for that.

“However, I understand both of your points. It was just that it was back and forth, I totally understand why the referee has not given it.

“But by the laws, he [Gabriel] should have been [sent] off, I agree.”