Alan Shearer leaps to Erling Haaland's defence over 'harmless' Gabriel incident

Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer has played down the incidental which saw Erling Haaland propulsion the shot astatine the backmost of Gabriel's caput aft Manchester City's precocious equaliser against Arsenal

Alan Shearer has defended Erling Haaland aft the Manchester City striker threw the shot astatine Gabriel successful the closing stages of Sunday's 2-2 gully against Arsenal.

The Premier League champions went successful astatine the interruption 2-1 down courtesy of goals from the Brazilian defender and Riccardo Calafiori, who had earlier cancelled retired Haaland's 100th extremity for City.

Leandro Trossard was sent disconnected earlier half-time, handing City a numerical vantage for the 2nd half. And they made that number close astatine the decease erstwhile John Stones struck pursuing a country to interruption Arsenal hearts.

Haaland had the spot betwixt his teeth arsenic City searched for an equaliser and eagle-eyed fans saw him launch the shot astatine the backmost of Gabriel's caput successful jubilation after Stones' goal. But Shearer scotched suggestions that the Norwegian extremity instrumentality had crossed the enactment with his antics.

Speaking connected Match of the Day 2, Shearer said: "I don't deliberation determination was immoderate harm successful it. It was a truly hard crippled for the referee, but successful presumption of the aggression and the 1 v 1 battles, it was a fascinating game."

While Shearer felt Haaland's actions were harmless, others saw it differently. Both benches clashed aft the incidental portion tempers flared again moments aboriginal erstwhile the striker poleaxed Thomas Partey aft the restart.

Arsenal frustrated the hosts for the bulk of the 2nd fractional and they were slammed post-match by Bernardo Silva, who called retired their time-wasting.

Join the debate! Do you hold with Shearer's comments connected the Haaland incident? Let america cognize here.

The Portugal midfielder said: "It each started successful the precise archetypal second. In the archetypal enactment we realised what was going to happen. We had a subordinate injured aft they sent him to the crushed doubly successful 10 minutes.

"We had a extremity conceded aft the referee called our skipper and past didn't let him to retrieve his position. The 2nd extremity is already their accustomed artifact to our keeper, which was allowed by the referee.

"Then the referee allowed a series of time-wasting events. The happening that bothers maine the astir is having a batch of meetings with the FA astatine the opening of each season. They archer america they volition power this benignant of concern and volition halt them, but successful the extremity it doesn't person immoderate worth. They accidental a batch but thing happens."

Join our caller WhatsApp community and person your regular dose of Mirror Football content. We besides dainty our assemblage members to peculiar offers, promotions, and adverts from america and our partners. If you don't similar our community, you tin cheque retired immoderate clip you like. If you're curious, you tin work our Privacy Notice.