The Manchester City-Arsenal match was a heated affair that ended in a draw, sparking much discussion and raising the possibility of a sanction for goalscorer Erling Haaland. Despite his goal, the Norwegian striker lost his cool, first throwing a ball at the head of Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhães—who also scored—and then engaging in a war of words with Gunners manager Mikel Arteta.
Currently, Manchester City sits first in the Premier League standings, while Arsenal is in fourth. Both teams remain undefeated in a season where the usual contenders are at the top.
Initially, reports suggested that Erling Haaland could face sanctions for his actions, but those concerns have now been alleviated.
Erling Haaland to Avoid Suspension for Ball Throwing
According to a source from ESPN, Erling Haaland will not be punished for throwing the ball at Gabriel Magalhães after Manchester City’s equalizer against Arsenal. The incident occurred when Haaland threw the ball at the back of the defender’s head following John Stones’ goal that made it 2-2.
The on-field referee, Michael Oliver, overlooked the incident, but video assistant referee John Brooks noticed it and ruled it did not constitute violent conduct. The same ESPN source reported that the FA is satisfied with how the situation was handled during the match, so Haaland will not face any retrospective punishment.
Erling Haaland continues to be one of the most prolific strikers in the world, with 10 goals in just 5 games in the Premier League this season.