Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett believes Manchester City were lucky to pick up all three points against Arsenal in their title showdown at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday – because the winning goal should not have stood.
Erling Haaland Eventually Got The Better Of Gabriel Magalhaes
Gabriel and Erling Haaland
Not many people were talking about any problems with the City winning goal, however. Former PGMOL chief Hackett, though, thinks it should not have stood.
A ball across the box from Nico O’Reilly was missed by Rodri before Haaland swept home with his left foot.
Haaland had been involved in a titanic tussle with Gabriel for much of the match – leading to that potential red card incident in the 83rd minute – and things were no different at the moment of that winning strike, with Haaland having a fistful of the Brazilian defender’s shirt.
Gabriel also had his hands on Haaland, with the incident accepted in the main as being fair for both of them.
Hackett did not agree, though. Speaking to Football Insider, he said:
“Clearly this holding offence by Haaland impacted on the Arsenal player’s ability to defend the ball going in the back of the net. Maybe not seen by the referee, but should have been picked up by VAR, goal ruled out, free-kick to Arsenal. Amazing that this has been missed.”
Erling Haaland Enjoys The Fight With Arsenal
Haaland told Sky Sports after the game that “of course” he won the battle with Gabriel in that moment.
He said: “I was quite happy to be honest, it was a great moment for me and a great win. It’s always like this, a lot of fighting and these kind of things, so what can you say? Of course I won that battle in that decisive moment because I sccred the goal. I think it was a great goal, a decisive moment and in the end we win.”
City’s win leaves them just three points behind Arsenal in the Premier League title race, with a game in hand, which they will play against relegation-threatened Burnley on Wednesday night. Win that and they will overhaul the Gunners on goals scored, if not goal difference at the top of the table.
Olivia Buzaglo and Ben Jacobs are live with a special World Cup preview edition of Market Madness, bringing you the latest transfer news alongside expert insight from across the globe.
South American football expert Tim Vickery joins the show to break down the key storylines ahead of the tournament, including:
– The mood in Brazil as they look to end their World Cup drought
– Neymar’s inclusion and current form at Santos
– Argentina’s chances of defending their crown
– Young South American talents who could earn big moves to Europe
– Potential surprise packages
Ben also delivers the latest breaking transfer news and answers your questions in his weekly mailbag, keeping you up to speed with all the biggest moves as the window heats up before the World Cup.
Plus, we hear from The Athletic’s Tom Bogert, speaking directly from the USA traning camp, with insight into how the co-host nation is shaping up ahead of the tournament.
Manchester United are looking to strengthen their attacking options as we head towards the summer transfer window.
The Red Devils are certainly in the market to sign midfielders this summer, but they could also look to strengthen in other areas.
It’s an incredibly important summer transfer window for United as they look to build a squad capable of competing in the Champions League.
The Red Devils were without European football during the 2025/26 season, which made it easier for them to finish in the top four due to the lack of distractions.
Michael Carrick’s side will now be playing twice a week for large parts of the season, so they’ll need a deeper and more competitive squad.
Manchester United might face a problem in the transfer race for one midfield target this summer.
Man Utd Eyeing Forward Reinforcements
According to Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas, Manchester United have working on Lille forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo ahead of the summer transfer window.
The 21-year-old is set to compete at the World Cup with Belgium, and United are showing an interest as a potential forward option.
Despite his age, Fernandez-Pardo made 29 appearances for Lille in Ligue 1 last season, providing 13 goals and assists combined.
The Belgian forward, who has made two appearances for his country so far, predominantly plays as a centre forward but can also play on either wing.
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Versatile Forward Could be Smart for Man Utd
Signing a versatile forward in the summer transfer window could be an ideal move for United ahead of the 2026/2027 season.
Bringing in a player capable of playing in multiple positions in the forward line would be hugely beneficial, especially when Carrick looks to rotate his squad across different competitions.
Tottenham Hotspur are in talks to sign Savinho and Jan Paul van Hecke as their summer business shows no signs of slowing down, but they are also negotiating terms to sign another player for Roberto De Zerbi, according to TEAMtalk.
Tottenham chiefs knew that they had to make sweeping changes to their squad over the summer break following successive 17th-placed finishes in the Premier League, and the early signs are that they mean business.
Spurs might end the summer being the busiest Premier League club in the market if their early moves are anything to go by, with Andy Robertson already through the door at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on a free transfer.
Marcos Senesi is set to be announced on a similar deal after he left Bournemouth following the expiry of his contract, but the north Londoners are nowhere near being done.
De Zerbi wants to add a third new defender to his squad in Van Hecke, who he worked with during his spell as Brighton boss, which would suggest we could see a high-profile exit at the heart of the Spurs defence.
Cristian Romero looks the most likely candidate given the amount of talk there has been around his future in 2026, but the only changes won’t be restricted to defence and attack.
Tottenham Re-Negotiating Joao Palhinha Terms
via Reuters
It was a rollercoaster season-long loan spell for Joao Palhinha at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Bayern Munich man started well, and it looked as though Spurs would be activating their £26m option to sign the Portugal international on a permanent basis.
However, a mid-season dip threw that into doubt, before his rejuvenation at the end of the season under De Zerbi changed minds again, with the Italian making it clear he wanted to sign the 30-year-old on a full-time basis. He has labelled him as ‘one of the best’ players to work with.
Tottenham are in talks to renegotiate the terms of the deal with Bayern as they look to get a deal over the line, according to TEAMtalk, with the hope of agreeing a reduced fee with the Bundesliga champions.
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World Cup History Quiz
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Joao Palhinha Wants Tottenham Move Despite Reports
via Reuters
Fabrizio Romano reported last week that despite reports from his home country that Tottenham had pulled out of the race for his signature as he was prioritising a move back to his homeland, it wasn’t actually the case.
The Italian journalist does say that Sporting Lisbon are waiting in the wings if the north Londoners can’t reach an agreement with Bayern however.
Tottenham chiefs appear to be spinning many plates at the same time right now in terms of transfers, but landing Palhinha could be one of their most important signings of the summer.
De Zerbi clearly loves the Portuguese star’s experience, and despite his deeper midfield position, Palhinha showed his character and threat in the final third with two crucial goals against Wolves and Everton during the run-in as they staved off relegation from the Premier League.
