The highly anticipated Premier League clash between Manchester City and Arsenal, which ended in a 2-2 draw, has sparked controversy after footage of a heated post-match exchange between City striker Erling Haaland, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, and forward Gabriel Jesus circulated on social media.
In the video, shared widely on Monday, Haaland can be seen confronting Arteta and saying, “Stay humble eh. Stay humble eh,” before tensions escalated when Gabriel Jesus stepped in to defend his manager. This led to a profanity-filled argument, with Haaland responding aggressively to Jesus, saying, “Talking about what I wasn’t talking about, f***ing clown,” before pushing Jesus away.
The heated confrontation occurred after a dramatic match in which Haaland scored his 100th goal for Manchester City. The game saw Arsenal reduced to 10 men following Leandro Trossard’s second yellow card. City equalised in the 98th minute through John Stones, intensifying the already tense atmosphere on the pitch.
Haaland’s on-field behavior also raised eyebrows, as he was seen throwing the ball at Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães’ head after Stones’ equaliser, an incident that VAR reviewed but deemed unnecessary for further action.
Manchester City’s camp also criticized Arsenal’s tactics during the match, with John Stones commenting on the way Arsenal disrupted the game. Stones said, “They stop the play, they use the side of football that not many teams do. You can call it clever or dirty… but they break up the game, which upsets the rhythm.”
Despite the post-match drama and Haaland’s actions, sports journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed on Monday that Haaland will not face any retrospective punishment for throwing the ball at Gabriel’s head, as VAR reviewed the incident during the match.
The intense showdown between the two title contenders has fueled the rivalry, with both teams leaving the pitch amid skill, controversy, and heightened emotions.
