Should Gabriel have been sent off for Haaland clash?

Sahadan kritik gelişmeler geliyor. Should Gabriel have been sent off for Haaland clash? To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. This video can not be played Media caption, How Haaland and Gabriel went head-to-head in an 'old school battle' By Dale Johnson Football issues correspondent Published 35 minutes ago 159 Comments The running battle between Erling Haaland and Gabriel was a theme of the title showdown between Manchester City and Arsenal .

The Norway forward had already had his undershirt partially ripped in one physical tussle during City's 2-1 win on Sunday . It was the kind of scrap fans love to see in big games, and referee Anthony Taylor had allowed both players some latitude. However, things boiled over in the 83rd minute after Haaland and Gabriel competed in an aerial duel.

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Following a push by the City striker, the two men squared up to each other, with foreheads pressed together. What happened next could easily have resulted in a red card for the Brazil centre-half, who pushed his head towards Haaland's face. The Arsenal defender escaped with a yellow card.

But should this not be seen as violent conduct? Why did the VAR not get involved? Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Gabriel would have been suspended for three matches if he had been sent off for violent conduct What exactly is a headbutt?

The laws of the game do not specifically reference it, so it is wrapped up in the description of violent conduct. That requires a player to have used or attempted to use "excessive force or brutality". It opens up a level of subjectivity where pushing your head towards another player might not be seen as violent.

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For the video assistant referee (VAR), what the refereeing team say they saw is crucial. On Sunday, it was the assistant referee who said the incident was "not excessively aggressive or violent". Referee Taylor took this advice on board and chose to book both players for their aggressive attitudes.

VAR John Brooks first has to consider that the incident has clearly been seen by the assistant. Could Brooks really say Gabriel's actions definitely were excessively aggressive or violent? That would be required for a VAR red card.

Even if the VAR thinks a red card is the better decision, it is difficult to get involved if an official has had a decent view and provided a supportable explanation. So what came into that judgement? It was felt that because Gabriel pushed with his head rather than struck - he did not pull his head back first and create space before driving it forward - a yellow card was supportable.

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