Erling Haaland was right in the middle of a heated moment with Arsenal’s coaching staff and officials when he tossed the ball towards Gabriel’s head during a touchline incident. Manchester City was ecstatic over John Stones’ late equalizer, as they were trailing Arsenal 2-1 at home until the eighth minute of stoppage time. Following the goal, Haaland picked up the ball and threw it at Gabriel, sparking a confrontation between the two players and their respective teams. It’s unclear whether the throw was deliberate or not, but it certainly stirred up tensions on the field.
At the start of the game, there was a tense moment when Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Arsenal’s Gabriel faced off.
A detailed account of the altercation involving Haaland and Arsenal’s Gabriel during a game, highlighting the exchange of the ball.
Arsenal was spotted retrieving the ball from the back of the net following John Stones’ late equalizer.
Gabriel’s head bounces the ball away as City players cheer for scoring the tying goal.
Haaland’s gesture ignited a spark of tension between the two players as the game came to an end.
The situation led to a heated exchange between the players and coaching staff of both teams. Despite being down to ten men, Arsenal seemed to be heading towards a remarkable victory at Etihad until midfielder Leandro Trossard was shown the red card before halftime. However, Manchester City, led by Stones and Pep Guardiola, had other plans and managed to secure a draw in a hard-fought encounter.
After the match, Stones shared the details of the instructions given to him by Guardiola before he came on as a substitute, turning into an unexpected hero for City in their thrilling 2-2 draw with Arsenal. The Gunners were close to claiming a win, but Stones scored a crucial equalizer in the 98th minute, following his introduction in the 78th minute.
Stones replaced Kyle Walker as a right-back but was asked to join Erling Haaland upfront as City desperately searched for a goal. In a post-game interview with Sky Sports, Stones revealed that Guardiola instructed him to play closer to Haaland, push forward, deliver crosses into the box, and challenge for aerial duels to help City in their pursuit of an equalizer.
In a recent interview, Stones shared how Pep Guardiola allows players to have the freedom to move around the field, creating pressure in a consistent and smooth manner. He mentioned how everyone on the team plays in different areas, with fluid movements and the ability to cover for each other when needed.
Stones added that he tried to position himself in the right areas during the match, which ultimately led to him scoring a goal. He expressed his happiness about scoring in such a way.
Having joined City from Everton in August 2016, Stones has played over 250 games for the team at the Etihad Stadium across various competitions.
