In the latest chapter of their ongoing squabble, Haaland seemed to revel in the misfortune of teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly, after the Arsenal player was sent off in his team’s 1-0 loss to West Ham.
The red card was given when his initial yellow was upgraded following a foul on West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus.
The tension between the two began back in September when Haaland, during Lewis-Skelly’s Arsenal debut, loudly shouted “who the f*** are you?” This moment started the back-and-forth between the pair, which has only grown since.
The Return of the Celebration Mockery
Not long after, Lewis-Skelly fired back by mocking Haaland’s famous meditation celebration when Arsenal dismantled Manchester City 5-1 earlier this month.
However, the tables seem to have turned in Haaland’s favor again following the red card incident.
After West Ham defeated Arsenal at the Emirates, which significantly hurt Arsenal’s title chances, some West Ham fans outside the stadium replicated Haaland’s signature celebration.
And true to form, Haaland didn’t miss the chance to get involved, liking the post.
While it’s possible that he just appreciated the tribute, the timing and context—coming right after Lewis-Skelly’s red card—can’t be ignored.
The Red Card Incident and Its Impact on Arsenal
The 18-year-old Lewis-Skelly was penalized for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity when he fouled Kudus just past the halfway line.
Kudus had just stolen the ball and was on a breakaway toward goal, with goalkeeper David Raya out of position.
Lewis-Skelly lunged in recklessly, initially receiving a yellow card.
However, after a brief VAR review, the card was upgraded to a red, sending the teenager off for the second time in just four Premier League matches.
This left Arsenal with a challenging task of trying to equalize against West Ham, who were leading 1-0 after Jarrod Bowen’s goal just before halftime.
A History of Red Cards and Controversy
This wasn’t the first time Lewis-Skelly saw red in recent matches.
Just a month earlier, in January, he was sent off against Wolves during Arsenal’s 1-0 win.
In that instance, he fouled Matt Doherty in his own half, earning a straight red card.
However, the FA later overturned the decision after reviewing the footage.
The Ongoing Feud Between Haaland and Arsenal
In addition to his rivalry with Lewis-Skelly, Haaland has had his fair share of clashes with Arsenal.
Following a tense 2-2 draw in September, Haaland told Gunners boss Mikel Arteta to “stay humble,” igniting a fiery exchange between the two.
Fast forward to February, and Arsenal was keen to settle the score.
Before a match at the Emirates, Haaland was booed and jeered by the Arsenal supporters.
After Arsenal’s early goal from Martin Ødegaard, defender Gabriel couldn’t hold back a laugh in Haaland’s face, likely fueled by their earlier encounter.
During that moment, Haaland had thrown a ball at Gabriel’s head after City scored a dramatic late equalizer.
Arsenal’s Attempt at a Musical Dig
After the match, Arsenal continued to troll Haaland, using the stadium’s sound system to play Kendrick Lamar’s hit song “HUMBLE.”
The Norwegian striker, however, didn’t seem to mind the jabs.
He responded by smiling at the crowd, pointing to the golden badges on his City shirt—the ones that signify the reigning Premier League and FIFA Club World Cup winners.
Haaland also made sure to show off his golden Premier League badge, taking a moment to point it out to Gabriel during a brief exchange.
For context, Arsenal has yet to win the Club World Cup, and their last Premier League title came in 2004.
Over the past two seasons, they finished second behind Manchester City, adding fuel to the ongoing rivalry.
This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!
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