Gary Neville has taken aim at Arsenal defender Gabriel, calling his actions ‘disrespectful’ after the Brazilian was seen laughing directly in Erling Haaland’s face during Arsenal’s dominant 5-1 victory over Manchester City.
The Gunners took an early lead at the Emirates Stadium, with Martin Odegaard finding the net in just the second minute. As Arsenal celebrated, Gabriel made a point of taunting Haaland, an act that drew mixed reactions from fans and pundits alike.
While many Arsenal supporters enjoyed the moment, Sky Sports analyst Gary Neville was critical of Gabriel’s antics.
Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, he remarked, “I don’t like it. It feels a bit disrespectful. I understand Haaland plays the villain role for Arsenal fans, but that celebration just didn’t sit well with me.
“I was known for my aggressive style, but I never did that—never shouted in an opponent’s face. It made me uncomfortable.”
Sunday’s clash was the first meeting between Arsenal and City since their heated 2-2 draw in September, where tensions flared late in the match. In that game, Gabriel and Haaland both found the net before clashing after a dramatic equalizer from John Stones. The incident escalated when Haaland threw the ball at Gabriel’s head, leading to a heated confrontation between players and staff.
Following the September draw, Haaland infamously told Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to “stay humble.” However, Gabriel showed little interest in heeding that advice, relishing his goal celebration in front of the City forward.
Haaland responded in the second half by leveling the score in the 55th minute, but his joy was short-lived as Thomas Partey restored Arsenal’s lead just moments later.
Myles Lewis-Skelly extended the advantage by scoring his first goal for the club, even imitating Haaland’s well-known meditation pose in celebration. Kai Havertz and substitute Ethan Nwaneri then sealed the emphatic 5-1 victory.
Since Haaland’s ‘stay humble’ remark, City’s form has taken a sharp decline.
Before the September draw, Guardiola’s side had won all four of their opening Premier League games. However, since then, they have struggled, securing just eight wins in 19 league matches while suffering seven defeats.
