Manchester City eked out a 2-2 draw against a ten-man Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday, with John Stones scoring a dramatic equaliser in injury time.
Tempers flared after that, as City striker Erling Haaland was caught throwing the ball at the back of Gabriel Magalhaes’ head before involving in a heated argument with the Brazilian defender. Haaland didn’t stop there, as he went on to take a jibe at the Gunners manager Mikel Arteta and striker Gabriel Jesus face-to-face after the final whistle.
Although his actions have drawn criticism, Haaland is unlikely to face any sanctions. The Football Association (FA) cites they cannot get involved since the VAR John Brooks deemed Haaland’s conduct not worthy of a red card at that time.
At the same time, both Man City and Arsenal are expected to be exempted from any kind of punishment in the wake of the brawl between the players.
Earlier in the first half, Leandro Trossard was sent off by referee Michael Oliver for kicking the ball away when Arsenal were leading 2-1, which was criticised by Arteta at the end of the game.
City midfielder Bernardo Silva also tore into Arsenal about their lack of trophies, thus adding fuel to the rivalry between the two sides.
It was the second time in three games that the Gunners received an early red card, with Declan Rice getting sent off in the draw against Brighton.
Despite Haaland’s strike, Arsenal took the lead with strikes from Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori. They almost got the job done with their incredible all-out defence in the second half before Stones broke the resistance in the eleventh hour.
Haaland’s strike also marked his 100th goal in just 105 games for Man City, equaling Cristiano Ronaldo’s record at Real Madrid for the fewest matches to reach the century figure.
With the draw, Pep Guardiola’s side managed to keep their top spot intact, one point ahead of Liverpool.
Another incident that overshadowed City’s draw was Rodri’s injury, as the Spanish midfielder is at risk of spending a longer spell on the sidelines.
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