Erling Haaland (26, Manchester City)'s determined remarks were correct. A post-match assessment found that Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães (30), who head-butted him, should have received a red card.
The Athletic reported on the 1st (Korean time), "Magalhães deserved to be sent off. The Premier League's key decision review panel judged that his actions in the match against Man City constituted 'violent conduct' and that he should have been sent off," it said.
Arsenal lost 1-2 to Man City in the 33rd round of the 2025-2026 Premier League at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, on the 20th of last month. Having lost the six-point clash, Arsenal were caught level on points with Man City and risked once again allowing Man City to overturn them to win the title.
Because the match essentially decided the destination of the title trophy, players from both teams fought fiercely. In particular, Magalhães did not hesitate to use rough challenges throughout the match to stop Haaland. He pulled Haaland's jersey so much that it was even torn.
The most controversial moment came at the end of the match. While Magalhães, who had been rough with Man City players, fouled Haaland again and a confrontation ensued. In the process, Magalhães thrust his head toward Haaland in a motion resembling a head-butt, but the referee showed yellow cards to both players. There was no Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervention.
The Independent of Britain noted, "Arsenal could have faced a bigger crisis over the moment when Gabriel appeared to make a head-butt. But Haaland did not go down, and, surprisingly, the referee Anthony Taylor booked Gabriel as well. If Gabriel had been sent off, he could have faced a three-match suspension."
But Haaland said he was simply playing honestly as his father Alf-Inge Haaland taught him. He said, "If I had gone down, it would have been a sending off. I would never do that," adding, "My father taught me. 'Don't fall, don't do cowardly things.' That's reality. Maybe it would have been easier if I had gone down, but I didn't, and instead I was booked."
In fact, Haaland being the focus of opposing defenders' attention is nothing new. Nevertheless, referees have not sanctioned it, and his ordeal continues. Ultimately Haaland criticized the referees, saying, "This is how the Premier League is these days. There is wrestling everywhere. There are many contests, and many scratches and wounds," and "my girlfriend does not like to see this."
The Premier League KMI (Key Match Incidents) also sided with Haaland. KMI is an independent body introduced in the 2022-2023 season that reviews key moments related to refereeing decisions.
Three of the five KMI panel members judged that Magalhães should have been given a red card. The Athletic explained, "By a 3-2 majority, the panel viewed Gabriel's action as violent conduct involving additional head movement. One panel commissioner said VAR intervention was needed because it was a 'clear and obvious error,' but the majority concluded that the decision not to instruct an on-field review was appropriate."
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) defines violent conduct as using excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball, and this constitutes a reason for dismissal. Magalhães's head-thrust that collided with Haaland by deliberately moving his head can be seen as violent conduct.
However, there will be no post-match sanction. That is a huge relief for Arsenal, who are still engaged in a fierce title race to the end, and a disappointing result for Man City. The Athletic reported, "Because the on-field referee recognized the incident and made a decision and it was reviewed by VAR, Gabriel will not receive additional punishment."
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