Gabriel Magalhaes has been sent a final verdict by the Premier League after his controversial incident with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland
11:29, 01 May 2026Updated 11:54, 01 May 2026
Arsenal have been told that Gabriel Magalhaes should have been shown a red card for his clash with Erling Haaland
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Arsenal have been told that Gabriel Magalhaes should have been shown a red card for his clash with Erling Haaland(Image: (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images))
Arsenal have been told by the Premier League's key match incidents panel that Gabriel Magalhaes should have been sent off against Manchester City. The Gunners defended clashed with Erling Haaland and appeared to push his head into the face of the Norway international, but he was only shown a yellow card.
It has now been determined by the KMI panel that Gabriel should have been dismissed for violent conduct and subsequently handed a three-match ban.
Three of the five panellists disagreed with the decision to only caution Gabriel as they felt "the extra head movement forward" should have been deemed as violent conduct.
However, he escaped punishment with their findings also determining that it did not reach the threshold for VAR intervention but that referee Anthony Taylor should have shown the red card on-pitch.
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Haaland was also cautioned for his role in the fracas with the City star revealing his verdict after the game and perhaps why Gabriel was not sent off. He said: "I think it's a red card.
"I think most agree with me. If I go down like any other guy, it's a red card. It's not something I would do. My father taught me to stay on your feet.
"That's the reality. Should I have gone down? Maybe. Then it would've been easier. But I didn't and I got a yellow card. I don't know why."
Haaland ultimately had the last laugh on the day as he grabbed the winner in their huge title clash which closed the gap to just three points, but the consequences of the decision could instead be felt later in the season.
Gabriel avoiding a red card saw him available for last weekend's win over Newcastle United and he can also be selected for the trip to West Ham United and visit of Burnley later this month.
Gabriel Magalhaes of Arsenal looks on
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Gabriel Magalhaes looks set to start all of Arsenal's remaining games this season
Given his importance to Mikel Arteta, the decision to not send him off could prove key in the title race with any major involvement from the Brazil international arriving with an asterisk.
The league leaders are still without one key defender however, with Jurrien Timber absent since being forced off in the 2-0 win over Everton back in March.
Speaking on whether or not he could return this season, Arteta said: "We don't know yet. He's doing some stuff on the pitch at the moment, but we need to get the gears up and be able to do more things before he can compete with us."
Arteta is also without Kai Havertz after he picked up an injury during last Saturday's win over Newcastle but both Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka are recent returners.
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The two England attackers came off the bench against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League earlier this week and could be in line to start against Fulham tomorrow.