Can Gabriel still be banned over Erling Haaland headbutt despite yellow card in Man City vs Arsenal?

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Gabriel Magalhaes appeared to throw his head in the direction of Erling Haaland but was only shown a yellow card during Arsenal's defeat at Manchester City

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland and Arsenal defender Gabriel square up(Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Everything you need to know about whether Gabriel Magalhaes could still be banned for his headbutt on Erling Haaland...

• No retrospective action possible: Gabriel cannot be retrospectively banned because the FA only intervenes if an incident is missed by all on-field officials and VAR. Since the referee saw the confrontation and issued a yellow card, the governing body cannot "re-referee" the match.
• The incident was reviewed: While the move appeared to be a headbutt – typically a red-card offence for violent conduct – the Premier League confirmed the action was reviewed at the time. VAR officials agreed with the on-field decision that the contact was not "excessively aggressive or violent."
• Official decision is final: Because referee Anthony Taylor actively officiated the moment by booking both Gabriel and Erling Haaland, the disciplinary process is considered complete. FA rules dictate that on-field judgments are final once the officials have acknowledged and dealt with the specific incident.
• Haaland’s reaction played a role: Following the match, Erling Haaland suggested that his decision to stay on his feet likely saved Gabriel. He implied that had he gone to the ground following the contact, the officials might have been pressured to upgrade the yellow card to a red.
• Exceptional circumstances not met: While bans can occasionally be extended—such as Aleksandar Mitrovic’s eight-game ban for pushing a referee—this only happens in "exceptional circumstances." The article notes that Gabriel’s clash with Haaland does not meet this high threshold for further intervention.
• Escaping a three-match ban: Under normal circumstances, a red card for violent conduct carries an automatic three-game suspension. However, due to the referee’s live assessment and the VAR's concurrence, Gabriel remains eligible for Arsenal’s upcoming fixtures in the Premier League title race.