Erling Haaland vs Gabriel Magalhaes: Arsenal Defender Breaks Silence After Near Brawl

• Gabriel Magalhaes has opened up about his altercation with Erling Haaland during Arsenal's Premier League clash with Manchester City
• The Brazilian was involved in a near brawl with the City striker in the aftermath of the four-goal EPL thriller at the Etihad Stadium
• Magalhaes will have to shift his focus to Arsenal's upcoming Carabao Cup game with Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday, September 25

Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes has broken his silence after his heated altercation with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland during their gripping Premier League clash.

The Gunners defender, who put in a strong performance and contributed with a goal, helped his side earn a hard-fought 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, September 22.

City vs Arsenal ends in heated altercation

Despite playing the entire second half, including eight minutes of added time, with only 10 men after Leandro Trossard's controversial dismissal, Arsenal’s defence held firm for most of the match.

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Gabriel and his teammates may be disappointed with conceding a late equaliser, but their defensive resilience against the reigning champions was commendable.

The game's aftermath saw several flashpoints involving Haaland.

After John Stones’ dramatic stoppage-time goal, the Norwegian striker appeared to provoke Gabriel by smacking the ball onto his head, talkSPORT reports.

This action triggered a tense exchange between the two players at the final whistle.

Gabriel breaks silence on Haaland 'fight'

In an interview with The Mirror, Gabriel addressed the incident calmly, saying:

"We are waiting for Man City at our ground," he began, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.

Downplaying the altercation, the Brazilian added:

"Haaland? I don’t remember what he did. It’s normal. But anyway, congratulations."

Gabriel made it clear that such battles are part of the game, saying:

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"Battle, war, provocation is normal, and it's also part of the game. It’s over now."

The tension wasn’t limited to the pitch, as Haaland also had a verbal exchange with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, an incident that drew criticism from fans and pundits, branding the City striker as 'disrespectful'.

Haaland smacks the ball on Gabriel's head

Earlier, Briefly News reported that Erling Haaland hit Gabriel with the ball after Manchester City's dramatic last-minute equaliser.

The Norwegian star bounced the ball at the Arsenal man, who had his back turned and his shirt over his head in frustration.

While many assume Haaland was intentional, tempers flared after the goal and beyond the final whistle as they exchanged words.

Source: YEN.com.gh