MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 19: Erling Haaland of Manchester City and Gabriel Magalhaes of Arsenal clash during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal at Etihad Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Erling Haaland and Gabriel go head-to-head at the Etihad Stadium
Erling Haaland has ignited a fresh psychological war with Arsenal, claiming he could have got Gabriel Magalhães sent off during Sunday's hot-tempered fixture.
Speaking with national newspaper reporters following Manchester City's 2-1 triumph, the Norwegian striker opened up about his rivalry with the Arsenal centre-back.
Reflecting on a flashpoint during the game which saw the pair go forehead-to-forehead, Haaland revealed that his father Alf-Inge would not have liked to see him go down as a result of Gabriel's headbutt.
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Erling Haaland of Manchester City and Gabriel Magalhaes of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester City FC at Emirates Stadium on February 02, 2025 in London, England.
Erling Haaland and Gabriel have battled regularly over the past few seasons
“I think that’s a red card,” Haaland told The Times. “If I go down, like any other guy would do, it’s a red card - I will never do this.
“My father taught me to stay on your feet and don’t be a... I cannot say the word, but it begins with a ‘p’.
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"Maybe I should have gone down. Then it would be easier [to win the game], but I didn’t. I got a yellow card.”
Haaland's words will sting in North London, perhaps as intended, particularly after the 25-year-old scored the winner to cast doubt on Arsenal's title hopes.
By suggesting he spared Gabriel, Haaland's admission could be interpreted as patronising the Gunners defender. It adds yet another a layer of needle to a title race that is already balanced on a knife-edge. With City chasing a seventh title in nine seasons and Arsenal desperate to end their two-decade drought, every psychological edge counts.
"I think my undershirt got a bit pulled at one point but I didn’t get the foul," Haaland added on the battle between him and Gabriel. "This is the Premier League nowadays. It’s a bit of wrestling here and there.
“There were a lot of duels, a lot of scratches, if you want to say this. Sometimes my missus is not so happy about this. It looks a bit wrong, but that’s the reality.”