Erling Haaland was at the centre of Manchester City's 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday and spoke to reporters after the game
Erling Haaland of Manchester City looks on following victory in the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal at Etihad Stadium
Erling Haaland after Manchester City's win over Arsenal on Sunday
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Erling Haaland didn't look like a man who had spent much of his last hour and a half wrestling with Gabriel. It was more royal rumble than the Premier League for periods on Sunday as the Manchester City matchwinner and the Arsenal centre back resumed their hostilities which have at times defined this fixture in recent years.
At one point Haaland's undershirt was in tatters and the Norwegian had to replace it on the sidelines. "I think my shirt got a bit pulled! I didn’t get the foul, this is the Premier League nowadays. It’s wrestling here and there," said Haaland with a wry smile.
The 25-year-old stopped to speak to reporters after the game and spoke with the calmness and the confidence of a player who has been here before in a team that has been here before. City know how to win titles, they might win another in a few weeks, but Haaland and City know they need to keep their composure.
The vibe at the Etihad in the build-up to this game was a relaxed confidence that Pep Guardiola and City are in the best place they can be just now. Haaland preached caution after the game but his demeanour and body language suggested he and City know they can kick on and win the league from here.
While Haaland was chatting, first Antoine Semenyo and then Jeremy Doku walked behind and gave their teammate a cheeky pat on the back. City were all smiles, as they might be, but there is still a steeliness there, a resilience and an assuredness.
In contrast, Arsenal's players must now pick themselves up. Mikel Arteta was positive after the game but the Gunners looked deflated as the whistle went and not one of the visiting players walked through the mixed zone after the defeat, let alone fronted up and spoke to the media. That's neither here nor there in the bigger picture but it perhaps points to where both camps are.
"The last seasons they’ve come up short," said Haaland of the Gunners. "For now they are first and they are still there, they’ve been the best team of the season. I don’t want to speak too much about them because they are an amazing team and we should focus on ourselves.
"We’re calm. There are a few of us who have been in this situation before. A few new, a lot of new. It’s about staying calm and thinking about what you can do. We know exactly the situation. We’re still second, we play on Wednesday.
"You need to stay calm and focus on what you can do. It's staying calm and try to think about the next task."