Arsenal Warned Their Taunting of Haaland Could Backfire in Jason Cundy Rant
Arsenal have been cautioned that their mockery of Erling Haaland could come back to haunt them, with pundit Jason Cundy delivering a fiery critique.
The Gunners secured a dominant 5-1 victory over Manchester City last weekend and didn’t shy away from celebrating at the expense of the reigning Premier League champions.
During the match, Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly imitated Haaland’s signature meditation celebration after scoring the team’s third goal. Post-game, the Emirates Stadium’s PA system played Kendrick Lamar’s Humble—a pointed reference to Haaland’s previous comment telling Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to “stay humble” after City’s win in the reverse fixture.
Cundy, while appreciating the rivalry between Haaland and Arsenal defender Gabriel, took issue with Lewis-Skelly’s actions. Comparing the battle between Haaland and Gabriel to legendary duels like Patrick Vieira vs. Roy Keane, Cundy acknowledged the intensity but questioned whether the young Arsenal star had chosen the right moment to engage in such antics.
“There’s not enough of that edge in the game these days,” Cundy said on The Sports Bar. “If you ask me what the biggest rivalry is right now, I’d say it’s Gabriel vs. Haaland. But that’s only recent—this season. There’s a bit of history between the clubs, and I love that. A center-half versus a striker, all for it. Gabriel shouting in his face… that’s part of football.”
However, when it came to Lewis-Skelly’s celebration, Cundy urged caution, suggesting the young midfielder might come to regret it.
“Pick your battles wisely,” Cundy advised. “I get why Arsenal fans love it, but Haaland has already completed football. Be careful what you do at that age. Celebrate your goal, enjoy the moment, but don’t invite unnecessary trouble. He’s a brilliant young talent with a bright future, but these things can come back around.”
Cundy also warned that provoking a rival can have unintended consequences, referencing Roy Keane’s infamous 2001 tackle on Alf-Inge Haaland, Erling’s father.
“You wait—long career ahead,” Cundy said. “We all saw what Keane did to Haaland’s dad. Just be careful picking these battles.”
Beyond the incident, Cundy criticized Arsenal for acting as if they had already achieved greatness, arguing that their celebrations were premature.
“Who are Arsenal, and what have they actually done in the last 20 years?” Cundy ranted. “How can they be taking this battle on? Calm down. You’re a really good team, but you’re probably going to finish second—again.
“When you’ve actually won something, then you can brag. Then you’ve earned the right to this kind of stuff. Arsenal’s attitude comes from Arteta—he promotes it, and that’s fine. The fans love it, and I get that. I watched Chelsea under Mourinho, and he backed it up by winning things.
“Mourinho won back-to-back Premier League titles. He earned that right. Arsenal? Not yet. Let’s see where this all leads.”