After Arsenal’s commanding 5-1 win over Manchester City at the Emirates, Erling Haaland’s father, Alfie, took a shot at the Gunners, particularly their social media antics, following the result. Arsenal, who were looking to reduce the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool, were in full force during the match. Martin Ødegaard opened the scoring for the Gunners, but Haaland responded with a second-half equalizer, bringing City level. However, Arsenal dominated the rest of the match, netting four more goals through Thomas Partey, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Kai Havertz, and Ethan Nwaneri, sealing the win.
In the aftermath, Arsenal’s social media team shared an image of Myles Lewis-Skelly mimicking Haaland’s famous goal celebration after scoring, accompanied by the caption: “THIS TEAM.” This playful act was meant to celebrate the victory, but it drew the ire of Haaland’s father, Alfie. He quickly took to X (formerly Twitter) to post a scathing reply: “«This Team» that wins everything. Ehhhhh, not.” His comment was a clear dig at Arsenal’s inability to secure a Premier League title in recent seasons, despite having challenged Manchester City for the top spot.
Arsenal’s struggles to win the Premier League under manager Mikel Arteta have been well documented. The Gunners have finished as runners-up in the last two seasons, both times behind Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, who have dominated the league, clinching four consecutive titles. Despite Arsenal’s impressive performances, they have yet to secure the ultimate prize, and their chances this season appear to be dwindling as they are 15 points behind current leaders Liverpool.
Following the defeat, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reflected on his team’s performance, acknowledging that they had been far from their best. He noted that they were “giving away too many things,” but also stressed that the team showed character by reacting well during the match. Guardiola pointed out that despite the struggles, City had opportunities to score more goals but needed to remain stable and in control throughout the 90 minutes, suggesting that the team’s lack of control led to the heavy loss.
Looking ahead, Manchester City will return to action next Saturday in the FA Cup, where they will face Leyton Orient. While City’s league campaign has been shaky, their focus will shift to the domestic cup competition as they try to bounce back from this heavy defeat and regain some confidence. Meanwhile, Arsenal’s victory is a reminder of their growing potential, but the gap between them and the league’s top contenders like Liverpool and Manchester City continues to be a significant challenge.
