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Arsenal defender Gabriel should have received a red card for violent conduct during the Gunners’ clash with Manchester City, according to the Premier League’s key match incidents panel.
The Brazil international was involved in a heated confrontation with Erling Haaland in the 82nd minute of the top-of-the-table encounter, with Gabriel pushing his forehead into the City striker during their ongoing battle throughout the match.
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Referee Anthony Taylor chose to caution both players for adopting an aggressive attitude on the advice of his assistant, while VAR John Brooks backed that decision, ruling that Gabriel’s action was “not excessively aggressive or violent”.
Panel splits on violent conduct decision
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However, [according to the BBC](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cnvpjd62286o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss), most panellists disagreed with Taylor’s yellow card decision. The panel voted 3:2 that “the extra head movement forward from Gabriel” should be classified as violent conduct worthy of a dismissal.
The two dissenting panellists argued “there is little force or initial backwards movement from Gabriel,” suggesting the contact was insufficient for a red card offense.
Despite believing the centre-back should have been sent off, the panel voted 4:1 against VAR intervention, indicating they felt the incident did not reach the threshold for video review to overturn the on-field decision.
Had Gabriel been dismissed for violent conduct, the defender would have faced a three-match suspension, potentially impacting Arsenal’s title challenge during a crucial period of the season.
Khusanov challenge cleared
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The panel also reviewed a separate incident involving City defender Abdukodir Khusanov’s challenge on Arsenal striker Kai Havertz in the 53rd minute. The Gunners forward went down under contact from the Uzbekistan international when running through on goal.
Taylor opted against awarding a free-kick, with VAR also choosing not to review the incident for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. The panel unanimously supported this decision, noting that “Havertz is not in control of the ball and Khusanov makes shoulder-to-shoulder contact.”
The revelations from the Premier League’s key match incidents panel highlight the fine margins involved in crucial refereeing decisions during high-stakes encounters. While the panel’s assessment suggests Gabriel was fortunate to avoid dismissal, the incident ultimately had no impact on the match outcome, with both players remaining on the pitch to complete the contest.