2 months ago
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- Erling Haaland had a field day against Arsenal on September 22, not because of his finishing abilities, but his ability to wind up opponents
- The Norwegian did find the back of the net but was involved in almost every other chaotic moment that engulfed the game
- John Stones rescued a point for Manchester City right at the end, giving Haaland a perfect platform to rile up Arsenal further
Well, it's confirmed - Erling Haaland is a certified narcissist. Pardon the language - or not -depending on where your loyalties lie.
When you have scored 100 goals in 105 appearances for your club, almost everything revolves around you.
Source: Getty Images
And for Haaland, he is much more than a clinical finisher. He is a 6'3 energetic behemoth who never shies away from a challenge - whether verbal or physical.
The mayhem that was Manchester City vs Arsenal
Arsenal's visit to a rainy Manchester on September 22 delivered on all fronts. After much had been said about Barclaysmen on social media, the game had chaos, beautiful goals, a red card, dubious officiating decisions, an extremely late equaliser - you name it.
For someone who has been roundly criticised for 'ghosting' in big matches, Haaland surely was involved in the thick of things from the word go. Inside seven minutes, he sliced Arsenal's impermeable defence into half before tucking the ball past an on-form David Raya.
Haaland's celebration vs Arsenal
The Norwegian then uprooted the corner flag as he celebrated reaching the incredible milestone. But that was the end of his involvement in the game football-wise as Magalhaes and Saliba and the other hundreds of defenders Arteta deployed kept him at bay. He was reduced to watching his centre-backs take shots from way out.
Haaland hits Magalhaes with the ball
Not to be deterred, Haaland unlocked his other side. After gallant defending, Arsenal were finally breached by John Stones in the 97th minute. Haaland was spotted bouncing the ball off Magalhaes' head intentionally as he raced back.
Haaland's savage jibe at Arsenal debutant
The drama went a level higher when he barged into Thomas Partey immediately after the restart. The melee that ensued saw the former Borussia Dortmund striker hurl an expletive at Arsenal debutant Myles Lewis-Skelly.
And to be fair to Haaland, I don't think he really knew he was. He almost wanted him to turn around so that he could get his name.
Warning: Explicit content
Haaland to Arteta: Stay humble, eh?
If Michael Oliver or anyone thought the madness would end after the final whistle, they were in for a pleasant surprise if a new video was anything to buy.
As Arsenal rued how close they were to getting three points at the Etihad, Haaland went around rubbing salt to injury.
In the video, he is heard telling Arteta to remain humble. He follows it up with a sarcastic tap on the Spaniard's shoulder.
Gabriel Jesus steps in to defend his manager, and Haaland stares him down with a fierce gaze Mike Tyson would be proud of - occasionally saying 'what' as the Brazilian rumbles on.
Haaland calls Gabriel Jesus a clown
The cherry on top comes when Haaland calls the person he replaced as City's number 9 a clown, then walks off satisfied with the day's work.
So volatile was the situation that Jack Grealish of all people, stepped in between the pair. We all know and love Jack, and if Jack says it's too much, then it definitely is too much.
I don't know about you, but February 1 of next year can't come quickly enough. Haaland vs Magalhaes at the Emirates? Sign me up immediately!
Why Trossard was sent off vs Man City
Legit.ng had also reported on why Leandro Trossard was sent off against Manchester City.
The Belgian winger had earlier been booked for stopping a Manchester City counter-attack before he was shown his second yellow card just before halftime.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
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