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Manchester City striker Erling Haaland and Arsenal defender Gabriel endured a rough battle against each other as the Blues ran out victorious
Manchester City talisman Erling Haaland scored the crucial winner for his team on Sunday as they defeated Arsenal 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium. The Norway international saw off the challenge of Gabriel to fire in what could be a season-defining goal for the Blues.
Haaland won that battle and indeed the war with the Arsenal centre-back but things could have been a lot worse for Gabriel. Shortly after the goal, Haaland pushed the defender only for Gabriel to square up to him. As they faced off, the Brazil international appeared to headbutt the striker before the two players were separated by teammates.
Referee Anthony Taylor decided against sending off Gabriel with both players handed yellow cards. After the match, Haaland claimed it should have been a red card but promised he would not feign injury to get another player sent off. Post-match, pundits were split on whether the Arsenal man should have been dismissed.
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Take a look at what the pundits have said on the incident, below.
Dermot Gallagher
Former Premier League referee, and face of Sky Sports' Ref Watch, Gallagher was happy with Taylor's decision and refused to believe it was a headbutt. "It was a very fair outcome," he said.
"Both of them were aggressive throughout the whole game, it just epitomised what was at stake. Gabriel is very unwise with what he does, it is not the cleverest thing to do and he runs a risk. But if you look, he actually goes down the front of him and not through him, he does not headbutt him.
"But he is very lucky that Haaland was very responsible because if he hits the deck, the whole landscape changes and the referee has a different situation to deal with."
Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker
The legendary England duo were firmly in the opposing camp to Gallagher. Shearer began on the Rest is Football podcast: "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.
"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.
"It should have been a clear red card." To which Lineker responded: "I agree, it was a red card."
Micah Richards
On the other hand, City's former defender Richards could see why Taylor went for the safer decision. "In fairness, in a game of this magnitude, I totally agree with you," he said on the Rest is Football. "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."
Patrick Vieira
Arsenal and City's former midfielder was a little more lenient than the Rest is Football team. He told Sky Sports: "I really enjoyed that battle.
"In the last couple of years those two players have been really hard for each other, but the referee managed it really well. They were competitive, they were difficult, but these are the kind of games we want to see, that we enjoy watching. I don't think Gabriel deserved a red card."
Gary Neville
Manchester United's former captain reflected on his own experience to inform his opinion. The Sky Sports pundit said: "If Gabriel had scored later on or had some impact on the game, Pep Guardiola would've been fuming.
"It's accepted in football you can put your head against each other, but once you push it forward, it's usually a red. I was happy he didn't send him off. I got sent off for it against Steve McManaman, I leant my head forward."
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