Why Arsenal Defender Gabriel Avoided Straight Red Card vs Man City
· YEN.com.gh News · Join- Gabriel Magalhães avoided a red card after a heated clash with Erling Haaland, sparking major controversy
- The incident sparked debate, with Gary Neville and Mike Dean questioning whether a red card should have been shown
- Meanwhile, UK-based Ghanaian pundit believed Gabriel was fortunate to avoid a red card in his clash with the Norwegian
- Manchester City secured a crucial 2-1 win over Arsenal, closing the gap in the Premier League title race
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The Premier League issued a statement after Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães controversially avoided a straight red card for an apparent headbutt on Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
The flashpoint came in the closing stages of the match, sparking immediate debate.
Source: Getty Images
Commentating on Sky Sports, Gary Neville said: “I can’t believe that’s not a red,” after referee Anthony Taylor opted to show Gabriel only a yellow card. Haaland was also booked following the confrontation.
Former Premier League referee Mike Dean initially supported the on-field decision, stating:
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“They have both gone head-to-head. There’s not excessive force by Gabriel, but he has pushed his head towards Haaland a little bit more. Given how the game has gone between those two, I think a yellow card is just about right. But I wouldn’t have been surprised if Gabriel had been sent off.”
However, after reviewing the footage again, Dean revised his stance, admitting:
“Looking at it again, I think he’s very lucky.”
Why Gabriel should have seen red
UK-based Ghanaian pundit Kofi Esikyire believes Gabriel was fortunate to avoid a red card in his clash with Erling Haaland, arguing the reaction played a key role in the decision.
“He should have been sent off for that, no doubt,” Esikyire told YEN.com.gh. “When you move your head like that, it’s usually a red card offence.”
He added:
“But in this case, Haaland didn’t go down, and sometimes that influences the referee. If he falls or reacts more, maybe the decision changes.”
Esikyire continued:
“Maybe Haaland didn’t feel enough contact, or he just chose to stay on his feet, but that made it look less serious than it actually was.”
“From the referee’s angle, it probably didn’t seem as aggressive,” he said. “But if you look closely, Gabriel was lucky, on another day, that’s a straight red.”
Premier League's statement on Gabriel incident
Shortly after the incident, the Premier League clarified the decision, confirming that VAR had reviewed the moment and agreed with the referee’s call.
The statement shared on X read:
“The referee’s decision of no red card was checked and confirmed by VAR, with Gabriel’s action not deemed excessively aggressive or violent.”
Ultimately, the controversy did not alter the final outcome. Manchester City secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium, cutting the gap to the league leaders to three points in the closing stages of the 2025–26 season.
Pep Guardiola’s side could move top on goal difference if they beat Burnley away on Wednesday, putting their title destiny firmly in their own hands.
According to the Athletic, City took the lead in the 16th minute through Rayan Cherki, who finished neatly after impressive footwork inside the box.
Source: Getty Images
The Gunners responded soon after when a major error from Gianluigi Donnarumma gifted them an equaliser. Kai Havertz applied pressure on the goalkeeper, whose mistake allowed the ball to loop into the net.
That goal briefly restored Arsenal’s six-point lead at the top of the table, but Haaland’s second-half strike proved decisive and could be a defining moment in the Premier League title race.
Arsenal fans blame Havertz for Man City defeat
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Arsenal fans have turned on Kai Havertz following their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, with some supporters blaming him for damaging their Premier League title hopes.
Mikel Arteta’s side suffered a second consecutive league loss on Sunday, allowing City to close the gap to just three points at the top of the table.
Source: YEN.com.gh