Thomaz Oseghale
Erling Haaland made a defiant gesture after Manchester City’s heavy 5-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday.
As he walked off the pitch, Haaland pointed to the gold Premier League badge on his shirt sleeve, reminding Arsenal fans that, despite their victory, they are still without a top-flight title since 2004.
The match saw City fight back after Haaland’s second-half equalizer, only to collapse in the final stages as Arsenal secured a thumping 5-1 win.
The result left City nine points behind Arsenal in the Premier League standings, with their title hopes fading fast.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are still chasing their first league title in nearly 21 years, though they remain six points adrift of leaders Liverpool.
Despite the loss, Haaland’s gesture pointed to City’s recent dominance in the Premier League, with the club having won four consecutive titles and eight since Arsenal’s last league triumph.
Haaland had been targeted by Arsenal fans during the game, and his earlier exchange with Gabriel in the reverse fixture added to the tension.
In the match, Arsenal’s players mocked Haaland’s trademark “zen” celebration, with Gabriel laughing in Haaland’s face after scoring and Myles Lewis-Skelly mimicking the striker’s celebration following his own goal.
