Erling Haaland has ignited a fresh psychological war with Arsenal, claiming he could have got Gabriel Magalhães sent off during Sunday's hot-tempered fixture.
Speaking with national newspaper reporters following Manchester City's 2-1 triumph, the Norwegian striker opened up about his rivalry with the Arsenal centre-back.
Reflecting on a flashpoint during the game which saw the pair go forehead-to-forehead, Haaland revealed that his father Alf-Inge would not have liked to see him go down as a result of Gabriel's headbutt.
Erling Haaland: 'My father told me to stay on my feet'
“I think that’s a red card,” Haaland told The Times. “If I go down, like any other guy would do, it’s a red card - I will never do this.
“My father taught me to stay on your feet and don’t be a... I cannot say the word, but it begins with a ‘p’.
"Maybe I should have gone down. Then it would be easier [to win the game], but I didn’t. I got a yellow card.”
Haaland's words will sting in North London, perhaps as intended, particularly after the 25-year-old scored the winner to cast doubt on Arsenal's title hopes.
By suggesting he spared Gabriel, Haaland's admission could be interpreted as patronising the Gunners defender. It adds yet another a layer of needle to a title race that is already balanced on a knife-edge. With City chasing a seventh title in nine seasons and Arsenal desperate to end their two-decade drought, every psychological edge counts.
"I think my undershirt got a bit pulled at one point but I didn’t get the foul," Haaland added on the battle between him and Gabriel. "This is the Premier League nowadays. It’s a bit of wrestling here and there.
“There were a lot of duels, a lot of scratches, if you want to say this. Sometimes my missus is not so happy about this. It looks a bit wrong, but that’s the reality.”
