Arsenal Fans Furious Over Gary Neville’s Commentary in 5-1 Win Against Man City
Arsenal supporters were left outraged by Gary Neville’s commentary during their team’s commanding 5-1 victory over Manchester City on Sunday. The emphatic result kept Mikel Arteta’s side within six points of Premier League leaders Liverpool, despite Erling Haaland’s second-half equalizer briefly disrupting their momentum before Arsenal pulled away with four unanswered goals.
While most of the drama unfolded in the latter stages, an early flashpoint grabbed global attention. Just two minutes in, Martin Ødegaard capitalized on a defensive mistake by Manuel Akanji to open the scoring. In the aftermath, Gabriel was seen shouting in Haaland’s face—a continuation of their heated exchange in September’s 2-2 draw at the Etihad.
The Brazilian defender didn’t stop there, repeatedly attempting to unsettle the City striker throughout the match. Adding insult to injury, Myles Lewis-Skelly later mimicked Haaland’s trademark celebration. After the final whistle, Neville described Gabriel’s actions as “disrespectful,” but it was another remark during the game that truly angered Arsenal fans.
Neville’s Controversial Comments Spark Backlash
During the 82nd minute, Neville suggested he wouldn’t blame Haaland if he reacted to Gabriel’s constant taunting. He stated:
“He’s got to snap soon, surely? I mean, honestly. He could eat Gabriel in the next 10 minutes! I don’t think anybody who has played football would begrudge Haaland losing his rag and going for Gabriel.”
While many Sky Sports viewers saw the comment as an exaggerated football cliché rather than an attempt to escalate tensions, a significant portion of Arsenal fans were quick to criticize Neville’s words.
One X user wrote: “Neville justifying if Haaland lashed out at Gabriel???” Another added: “Gary Neville really just said on live TV, ‘I don’t think anybody who has played football would now begrudge Erling Haaland for going for Gabriel.’ Wow. Encouraging violence from his position. Let’s see if anyone else mentions it.”
A third fan demanded: “Gary Neville should be made to explain his comment about Haaland going for Gabriel.” A fourth accused Neville of bias, saying: “He sounded so upset throughout the second half. From being in disbelief that Foden misplaced a pass to practically hoping Haaland would retaliate against Gabriel. Absolute idiot.” Another bluntly stated: “Gary Neville is an absolute disgrace. Encouraging Haaland to go after Big Gabby. He should be sacked immediately!”
Arsenal’s Unbeaten Run Continues
Mikel Arteta had lost nine of his first 10 managerial meetings with Pep Guardiola, but Sunday’s result made him only the third manager—after Thomas Frank and Jürgen Klopp—to go unbeaten in five consecutive games against the City boss across all competitions.
Arsenal have now gone 14 Premier League matches without defeat, marking only the second time in their history they’ve achieved such a streak. As the home crowd chanted “Are you watching, Merseyside?” the atmosphere at the Emirates reflected growing belief that Arsenal could end their 20-year wait for a league title. However, they still need to close the six-point gap on Liverpool, who have a game in hand.