Erling Haaland found himself in the midst of controversy during Manchester City’s intense Premier League clash with Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, with several incidents drawing attention and sparking debate.
Former premier league referee Mark Halsey weighed in on whether Haaland could face a potential ban following the heated encounter. The 24-year-old striker was involved in a series of contentious moments, starting just five minutes into the match.
The first flashpoint came when Haaland seemingly retaliated to Kai Havertz’s shoulder challenge on Rodri by launching into a strong tackle on William Saliba. The tackle could have easily warranted a booking, but Haaland escaped unpunished and went on to open the scoring soon after with a clinical finish.
Arsenal, however, were quick to respond, scoring twice before the break. But the game shifted dramatically after Leandro Trossard received a red card just before halftime, giving City a numerical advantage and allowing them to dominate in the second half.
While Arsenal’s defense held strong for much of the match, Haaland continued to be a constant threat, peppering their goal with shots. In the end, it was John Stones who broke through Arsenal’s defense, scoring after a frantic penalty box scramble deep into stoppage time.
The drama didn’t end there. After Stones’ equalizer, Haaland picked up the ball and threw it at the back of Gabriel’s head, who had his face buried in his shirt. Not long after, Haaland clashed with Thomas Partey following the restart, further adding to the tension on the pitch. Post-match, the Norwegian was involved in multiple confrontations with Arsenal players, fueling the controversy even more.
Mark Halsey, in an interview with The Sun, suggested that Haaland’s actions with Gabriel could have led to serious consequences. He said, “You could argue it’s violent conduct because it’s like he’s throwing an object at someone’s head. It’s like he’s throwing a punch at someone’s head. So he can count himself very lucky that [referee] Michael Oliver didn’t see that and VAR didn’t pick it up either.”
Halsey also noted that the incident could be subject to retrospective punishment from the Football Association (FA), stating, “It will be interesting to see if the FA takes retrospective action over that incident because it could be construed as violent conduct.”
Despite the controversy, VAR reviewed the situation during the game and chose not to take any further action. The Football Association has since upheld that decision, confirming that Haaland will not face any additional sanctions for his actions.
Ultimately, while the match itself was filled with drama and tension, it seems that Haaland has narrowly avoided disciplinary action following the Arsenal clash. Whether or not his behavior will be scrutinized more closely in future matches remains to be seen.
