Erling Haaland had a challenging return to the pitch against Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday. The striker encountered significant teasing from his opponents, including a young player, and the fans at the Emirates Stadium reminded him of his bold remarks from their previous encounter.
The lingering animosity from over four months ago continued to affect both teams, following their initial meeting at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, which ended in a 2-2 draw. This match concluded with Haaland tossing the ball at Arsenal’s Gabriel and telling Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, to “stay humble, eh?” The repercussions of those comments hit back at Haaland when his team faced a devastating defeat of 5-1 at the hands of Arsenal.
Gabriel made sure to make his feelings known by celebrating right in front of Haaland after Martin Odegaard scored Arsenal’s first goal just two minutes into the match. Later, after Haaland managed to equalize for City, Arsenal’s Lewis-Skelly scored to give his team a 3-1 lead. He marked this goal with a “Zen” celebration by sitting down and crossing his legs, mimicking Haaland’s signature style.
It’s notable that the 18-year-old Lewis-Skelly, playing at left back, was able to participate in this match after a controversial red card from a prior game against Wolverhampton was rescinded. The Premier League highlighted the ongoing rivalry—posting an image of Gabriel’s and Haaland’s previous incident along with the commentary about their competitive history, reaching a massive following on their official social media platform.
Tensions continued during the match, as Gabriel won a free kick and playfully grabbed Haaland’s shorts, refusing to accept his gesture to help him up. Following this, Haaland notably pointed to the Premier League badge on his jersey, perhaps as a reminder of Manchester City’s recent successes compared to Arsenal’s.
The atmosphere in the stadium remained charged, with one enthusiastic Arsenal supporter lifting a sign that read “Stay humble, eh?” When the match came to a close, Kendrick Lamar’s song “Humble” played loudly over the speakers, underscoring the message directed at Haaland. Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice reflected on the match, stating that the events from earlier in the season had stoked a competitive fire, leading to heightened emotions during this encounter.
