Roy Keane reopened a long-standing dispute with the Haaland family after the confrontation between Manchester City striker Erling and Arsenal defender Gabriel. The incident began with a grappling moment from an aerial challenge in which the two players came together, pressed foreheads and Gabriel pushed his opponent forward. It was not a full headbutt, but it came close. Haaland appeared dumbfounded and his refusal to hit the deck may have prevented Gabriel receiving a red card and a three-match suspension.

There was no VAR intervention. The Match Center ruled the action not to be “excessively aggressive or violent”, citing a perceived lack of force.

Keane commented on the episode during the latest episode of Stick to Football, where the panel discussed the match and the Haaland-Gabriel flashpoint. “His dad would have gone down. I am sure of it. Sorry,” Keane chimed. The line referred back to Keane’s infamous knee-high challenge on Alf-Inge Haaland, then of Manchester City, during a heated derby clash in 2001.

The animosity between the pair has earlier roots. In 1997 Haaland, then of Leeds United, stood over Keane accusing him of feigning injury when Keane had in fact torn an ACL.

Keane later addressed the 2001 tackle in his autobiography, released the following year. He wrote: “I’d waited long enough. I f—-ng hit him hard. The ball was there [I think]. Take that you c—. And don’t ever stand over me again accusing me of fake injuries.”

The consequences of the 2001 incident were significant. Keane received an initial red card that triggered a three-match ban and a £5,000 fine. His admission that the tackle was premeditated prompted a further five-game suspension and a larger £150,000 fine. After Keane’s 2002 revelation Manchester City sought to pursue lost earnings on Haaland’s behalf. It is notable that the Norwegian midfielder finished the match in which the tackle occurred, played 45 minutes in an international fixture and then 68 minutes in City’s next league match. He eventually retired in 2003, with a long-term, preexisting injury to his left knee the ultimate problem.

Manchester City’s 2–1 victory over Arsenal on Sunday became the most-watched Premier League game in United States history two months before the World Cup comes to U.S. soil this summer. Goals from Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland delivered the win that pushed City into a decisive stretch of the 2025/26 campaign.

The result left Arsenal and City level on 70 points apiece, with City occupying the summit on goals scored. The win also closed a gap that had been three points after the match and was further narrowed when Pep Guardiola’s men defeated Burnley 1–0 on Wednesday.

In the United States the April 19, 2026 clash drew 2.6 million combined English- and Spanish-language viewers across NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo. That figure tops a list that includes another Man City versus Arsenal broadcast, which also recorded 2.6 million viewers on March 31, 2024.

Other high-ranking fixtures in U.S. viewing figures include Manchester United versus Arsenal on Aug. 17, 2025 (2.5 million), Arsenal versus Manchester United on Jan. 22, 2023 (2.3 million), and Liverpool versus Arsenal on Dec. 23, 2023 (2.3 million). All five of the most-watched Premier League matches in the United States featured the Gunners.

City’s latest win over Arsenal now heads that list, eclipsing last year’s goalless draw at the Etihad, which could not match the weekend’s intensity. The match’s audience underlines an undeniable trend in the United States: soccer’s profile is at its highest level to date.

With the World Cup scheduled to take place across 11 U.S. cities this summer, the record numbers from club competition suggest a strong domestic appetite for the sport. Millions of fans from around the world are set to attend the tournament, and millions more throughout the host nation are expected to follow the action closely.

With the 2025–26 Premier League campaign approaching its final act, the Player of the Season conversation is sharpening. The prize has been awarded since the 1994–95 campaign and is most often claimed by a member of the title-winning team, though exceptions have emerged in recent years.

Gabriel: If Arsenal prevail in a tightly contested title race, their defensive unit will take much of the credit and Gabriel stands out. The Brazilian has marshalled what is the best defence in the division, currently leading the way for goals conceded and clean sheets. He has also been a major threat at set pieces, contributing three goals and four assists in the Premier League. Defenders rarely attract Player of the Season honours; Rúben Dias and Virgil van Dijk are two of just five past winners at centre back. Gabriel’s case therefore depends heavily on Arsenal winning the title.

Antoine Semenyo: The 26-year-old has delivered an exceptional campaign across two clubs. He scored 10 goals for Bournemouth in the first half of the season before joining Manchester City in January. Like Marc Guéhi, Semenyo has been a transformative winter addition as City climbed back into the title picture. He has been an immediate and consistent starter under Pep Guardiola. While Semenyo may lack some of the glamour of other contenders, his individual form has been impressive. For his candidacy to gain traction in the voting, City would realistically need to win the title, and one of his teammates appears better placed to claim the prize if they do.

Erling Haaland: The Norwegian striker is leading the league for strikes and remains City’s primary goal threat. He won the award in 2022–23 and became the first player in Premier League history to win the Young Player of the Season award alongside the Player of the Season prize in the same season. His numbers this term are not as frightening as in past years, but they remain substantial. City would be nowhere near the title without his steady stream of strikes, and a third Golden Boot looks probable. If City win the title, Haaland is the most likely winner.