Arsenal's 5-1 thumping of Manchester City at the Emirates on Saturday was a match full of drama, skill, and a little bit of needle — particularly from Gabriel Magalhães, who had some cheeky moments aimed at City striker Erling Haaland.
The match, which has become one of the Premier League’s hottest rivalries following two years of title tussles between the two clubs, saw tensions boil over once again. It was only a few months ago that Haaland went viral for telling Arsenal players to "stay humble" after their 2-2 draw at the Etihad earlier this season. The words clearly stuck with the Arsenal squad, especially Gabriel, who wasted no time getting involved in the playful back-and-forth.
Watch: Gabriel Magalhães Haaland celebration: Brazilian gets into Man City striker's face in Arsenal opening goal
It was Arsenal who drew first blood, with captain Martin Ødegaard opening the scoring in just the 3rd minute, sending the Emirates and Magalhães into raptures. The Brazilian center-back celebrated the goal in front of Haaland, adding another episode to their recent rivalry.
The story between the two in this match wasn't finished though.
Haaland was to score the equalizer in the second half, having a particularly laid-back celebration despite what was at stake.
From there, however, the game was a rollercoaster. Arsenal's Thomas Partey put them back ahead with a deflected long-range strike that sent the crowd into a frenzy just seconds after the restart. But the real fun came when 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly, fresh off his debut season, scored his first-ever goal for the club. In a fitting nod to Haaland’s famous celebration, the young talent hit the Norwegian's signature "meditation pose" in front of the City striker, with Gabriel loving every second of it.
To cap things off, Kai Havertz and youngster Ethan Nwaneri sealed the deal with a cool finishes on the counter-attack, rounding off a perfect performance for the Gunners.
The 5-1 victory leaves Arsenal in second place, just six points behind league leaders Liverpool, though the Reds have a game in hand. Meanwhile, Man City’s title hopes are faltering as they sit in fourth, level on points with Newcastle United.
