Man City boss Pep Guardiola defends Erling Haaland's 'stay humble' remarks

Both Arsenal and Manchester City will face each other tonight.

As the two teams get ready to square off once more today, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has justified Erling Haaland’s ‘stay humble’ remark at Arsenal.

When Arsenal and Manchester City played earlier in the season, it appeared that the Gunners would beat the reigning Premier League winners for the first time this season. But during the jubilation, Haaland hurled the ball at Gabriel Magalhaes’ head after John Stones’ header in the 98th minute secured City a 2-2 draw.

Following the final whistle, Haaland went up to Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, and advised the Spaniard to “remain modest.” Despite the fact that Manchester City’s season has seen them struggling and they currently rank fourth in the Premier League, Guardiola has defended the Norwegian’s remarks and stated that Arteta’s defensive tactics were the reason for the outburst.

Speaking to the media, Guardiola said: “For Erling it’s not easy. Arsenal is a physical team, in a good way, in many aspects.

Arsenal away. 💪#ManCity pic.twitter.com/gRZb8U8E7T

— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 2, 2025

“For 90 minutes, the central defender, Gabriel, pushed him, hacked him, hugged him and kissed him. The Premier League is that way. You have to stand up and defend your position. And now I am being asked to adjudicate on what Erling has done? I don’t buy it. The end of the game was so emotional. In the end, a human being has to react.”

Guardiola continued to support the striker, who is known for maintaining composure in the face of constant rough tackles from Premier League defenders: “I’m surprised how he controls his emotions. In every action, he’s being pulled and the referee plays on. How many times does it happen? And he never complains. He behaves incredibly well.”

Haaland will return to action today when Arsenal host Man City tonight as both teams will fight for the three points. The Gunners will hope to maintain pressure on Liverpool who are top of the table nine points ahead of them.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.