Manchester City kept their Premier League title hopes alive with a crucial 2-1 victory over Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium. Erling Haaland scored the winning goal, his 31st of the season, to move City within three points of the league leaders with a game in hand. City have 67 points from 32 games, while Arsenal have 70 from 33. City have a chance to go top for the first time this season on Wednesday night if they win their game in hand, according to research from multiple sources.
The match was overshadowed by a controversial incident in the 84th minute when Haaland and Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães clashed. Gabriel made a head movement towards Haaland's face, and both players were booked by referee Anthony Taylor for the altercation. The incident was checked by VAR and the referee's call of no red card was confirmed, with the Premier League Match Centre stating that Gabriel's action was deemed not excessively aggressive or violent. The referee only gave a warning to the players involved, according to other reports.
He kept Arsenal's title hopes alive by not going down. If he goes down, Gabriel gets a three-match ban.
Haaland later said he stayed on his feet because his father taught him not to go down. "I never dive. I never go down. My dad taught me that. If I go down, he gets a red card. But I stay on my feet and score the winning goal," Haaland said in a press conference. He added: "I will not fall on the floor unless someone really attacks me. I'm not sure if he should have been sent off." According to Metro - Main, former Premier League manager Tim Sherwood described Haaland as keeping Arsenal's title hopes alive by not going down, saying that if he had gone down, Gabriel would have received a three-match ban. According to Daily Mail - Sport, Roy Keane described that if it had been Haaland's father, Alf-Inge, he would have gone down. Keane was sent off for a foul on Alf-Inge Haaland in 2001, which he later admitted was intentional, according to multiple reports. According to www.goal.com, former Arsenal winger Perry Groves described Gabriel as getting away with one and said Haaland did well not to react. According to www.goal.com, ex-Newcastle manager Alan Pardew described his disbelief, recalling that he received a stadium ban for a similar offence and that Gabriel should have been sent off.
There was also debate over whether Haaland's goal should have been disallowed for shirt pulling. During the goal, both Haaland and Gabriel were holding each other, but Haaland had Gabriel's shirt and gained an advantage, according to research from multiple sources. According to Daily Mirror - Main, former Arsenal defender Lauren described that Haaland's goal should have been disallowed because he pulled Gabriel's shirt, which gave him the advantage to score. However, football.london considers the goal decision correct as there was no clear and obvious error. Gabriel also appeared to pull Haaland's hair during the match, according to multiple reports.
If that was his dad, he would have gone down. He would have been on the floor like a sack of potatoes.
Other key incidents included Eberechi Eze striking the inside of the post before Haaland's goal, according to research from multiple sources. Kai Havertz missed a golden chance to equalise in stoppage time, according to research from multiple sources. In the 54th minute, Havertz was brought down by Abdukodir Khusanov when through on goal, but no foul was given, according to research from multiple sources. football.london believes Khusanov should have been sent off for denial of a goal-scoring opportunity.
Additional confrontations included Gabriel Jesus being involved in a heated confrontation with a Manchester City fan during the match, according to multiple reports. It remains unclear whether Gabriel Magalhães will face retrospective disciplinary action for the headbutt incident. The exact nature of the confrontation between Gabriel Jesus and the fan is also unknown. There is also uncertainty over whether Eberechi Eze actually hit the post, as reported by The Independent, or if that was a mistake. It is not known whether there was any VAR review for the potential foul on Kai Havertz by Abdukodir Khusanov.
Haaland's goal should have been disallowed. He pulled Gabriel's shirt and that gave him the advantage to score.
Gabriel got away with one there. Haaland did well not to react.
I can't believe it. I got a stadium ban for something similar. He should have been sent off.