S Poddar
Arsenal striker Erling Haaland has been let off with more serious disciplinary actions as a result of his shenanigans in the contentious 2-2 draw between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium. Haaland was fined by the referee for throwing the ball at Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhães during the game, both teams fighting hard against each other. Nevertheless, the player has been cleared off any retrospective punishment.
This came after Sky Sports News confirmation that neither Manchester City nor Arsenal would receive further disciplinary action from the FA in relation to incidents following their volatile behaviour during the much-hyped Premier League tie.
The incident in contention occurred during the dying minutes of the game, an incident that triggered tension on the pitch. The equalizing stoppage-time goal from John Stones into the box for Manchester City prompted a reaction from Haaland, and he tossed the ball back to the back of Gabriel’s head, which was understandably provocative for most the Arsenal players. Still, the FA cannot do more because on the spot, the incident has been reviewed by VAR official John Brooks.
The gesture, which, on first sight, can be considered unsporting behavior, did not have an immediate penalty during the match and VAR eventually did not rate it to be serious enough for them to issue a red card. The policy of FA stipulates that they cannot do anything with regard to those on-pitch incidents which are reviewed by VAR and, therefore, restrict their scope for retrospective punishment in this case.
Where the match was intense, it is not like that all the attention focused on Haaland. The game was extremely physical, and both teams always were determined towards their game. Stones equalizer just before the end added drama as Arsenal were looking to pick three points only to be frustrated by the final minutes.
The City-Arsenal has become one of the most important Premier League matches of the season, where both sides challenge each other almost every week to top spots in the table. And this match predictably was no exception as the score reflected the close affair between two of England’s elite clubs.
For a player in Haaland’s exceptional form for City, the incident represents one of the rare blemishes on an otherwise outstanding season. The Norwegian striker has marked himself out with his prolific goal-scoring and physical presence; but his fiery temper has also occasionally flared to life, as here. And it will not cost him one game, at any rate.
With regard to the FA decision not to punish the clubs based on their overall conduct throughout the match, it depicts the same view of the governing body that understood both teams were still in acceptable limits despite the tense atmosphere. During the match there were instances of the confrontation between the players but none which meant any inquiry or penalties.
VAR has been the topic of debate for a long time in the Premier League, not just among fans, but also between pundits. On one hand, they argue that VAR increases the possibilities of fair findings, as it traces incidents that the referee would refuse to remember, while on the other hand, some feel that at times the involvement of VAR can be inconsistent. In this case, VAR review of Haaland’s actions got it to a point where the FA had no option except to have hands tied and never allow room for retrospective judgment.
In the end, the scoreline was a fair reflection of the efforts of both teams, with Arsenal, who were first to seize both initiatives throughout the game, becoming frustrated by City’s last-gasp equalizer, while City breathed a sigh of relief at salvaging a point that might have been a key moment in the title race.
Although the controversy surrounding him, the leniency handed to Haaland by the Football Association still means that Manchester City doesn’t have to worry about their star man missing matches as he prepares for his next season matches. Arsenal, however has to re-group from this disappointment and still go full throttle to their winning spree this season.
This was one of the battles for the Premier League’s best, and such a game is a reminder of the depth of the Premier League and how one fine margin could decide a game. City and Arsenal are most probably going to fight for top honours this season; thus, this was not going to be the last time their encounters feature such drama.
