Mikel Arteta Asks Arsenal To Focus After Erling Haaland Is Made Fun Of

JAKARTA - Mikel Arteta seems to warn his players against their celebration of mocking Erling Haaland when Arsenal beat Manchester City 5-1 at the Emirates Stadium, Sunday, February 2, 2025.

Gabriel Magalhaes reacted to Martin Odegaard's opening goal in the second minute by screaming in Haaland's face before Myles Lewis-Skelly imitated Haaland's meditation celebration after his first goal at senior level - and Arsenal's third goal that day.

The incident appears to be a response to Haaland's behavior in the previous match in September 2024 which ended in a 2-2 draw.

At that time, the Norwegian striker threw the ball at Gabriel Magalhaes' head after John Stones' equalizer in injury time before telling Arteta to remain humble as the two teams gather after the final whistle sounded.

"I don't know, I haven't seen it yet, and there's nothing I want to talk about that, depending on the players."

"However, they know my views on it. We have to focus on ourselves," Arteta said of the celebration and how much influence the September 2024 match had.

Arteta always evades when he focused on celebrating questions and moments of the incident with Haaland last year.

"We have to focus on ourselves and let whatever happens there. It's just part of the game on the pitch and feelings, whatever happens there."

"I think I've been in the world of football for a long time. Let it go, nothing can be done there," said Arteta again.

Midfielder Declan Rice, who is a senior at Arsenal, is also trying to cool the atmosphere. He defended Lewis-Skelly's goal celebration while still respecting Haaland.

"It's a saturation of football. A lot of things happen on the pitch. He celebrates it. That's clearly Haaland's celebration."

"I know he respects it, the whole team respects him very much because of what he has done, he is a big player," Rice said.

Haaland equalized with a header in the 55th minute before Arsenal went berserk as Thomas Partey, Lewis-Skelly, Kai Havertz, and substitute Ethan Nwaneri scored to give Arsenal their 22-year-long biggest win over Manchester City.

The Gunners are six points behind leaders Liverpool, who still have one game more.