Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has admitted that Erling Haaland’s emotions may have momentarily got the better of him during their intense 2-2 draw with Arsenal last September.
Pep Guardiola acknowledges Erling Haaland’s fiery emotions in last Arsenal clash
However, the Spaniard was quick to defend his star striker, emphasizing that such incidents are rare for the usually composed Norwegian.
The match at the Etihad Stadium was a heated affair, with Haaland locked in a physical battle with Arsenal defender Gabriel throughout the game.
Tensions reached boiling point after John Stones’ stoppage-time equalizer, as Haaland threw the ball at Gabriel’s head in frustration.
The fiery exchanges didn’t end there, with Haaland reportedly telling Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to “stay humble” in the aftermath.
Despite the drama, Guardiola insists that Haaland’s reaction was a one-off.
“I’m surprised how well he controls his emotions,” Guardiola said ahead of Sunday’s return fixture at the Emirates.
“In every action, he’s being pulled, grabbed, pushed—and the referee plays on. Yet, he never complains. He behaves incredibly well.”
The City boss pointed out that Haaland endures constant provocation from defenders across the Premier League, but rarely retaliates.
“He got emotional once. Do I need to judge him for one moment? No, come on,” Guardiola added.
“It’s not easy when you’ve played 90 minutes, and Gabriel is pushing, hugging, hacking—it’s a battle. At the end of the day, Erling is a human being. He had to react.”
City players were left frustrated by Arsenal’s defensive tactics in the latter stages of the September clash.
Guardiola hinted at his side’s displeasure with what he described as Arsenal’s physical approach but stopped short of outright criticism.
“Everyone has their way of playing,” Guardiola said.
“There’s a referee to decide what’s fair. We are an incredibly fair team—sometimes too much—but we continue.”
With tensions still simmering from their last meeting, all eyes will be on Haaland and Gabriel as the two sides meet again this weekend.
Will cooler heads prevail this time? Or are we in for another fiery encounter?