Gabriel escaped a red card in the collision with Haaland.
According to the panel reviewing key situations, center-back Gabriel should have received a red card for headbutting Haaland. However, at the time of the incident, referee Anthony Taylor only issued a yellow card, deeming the Arsenal player's action not excessively violent.
The decision was subsequently scrutinized, and the expert panel voted 3-2, concluding that Gabriel's additional "head movement forward" was sufficient to constitute violent conduct. However, 4 out of 5 members agreed that VAR intervention was unnecessary, as the referee had direct, close-range observation of the incident.
Gabriel's absence from the match did not affect the final result, as Man City still won 2-1. However, this was still fortunate for Arsenal. If he had received a red card, the Brazilian defender would have been suspended for three matches, a factor that could have a significant impact on the already tight title race.
Currently, Man City are only 3 points behind Arsenal and have a game in hand, while their goal difference is almost the same. This means that any referee decision could be a turning point.
After the match, coach Pep Guardiola expressed his displeasure. Meanwhile, Haaland asserted: "If I had fallen like other players, it could have been a red card. But I didn't. My father always taught me to stand firm."