21/04/2026

SPORTS TUESDAY | APR 21, 2026

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Emery happy after ‘crazy 20 minutes’

Why Gabriel was not sent off for Haaland ‘headbutt’? MANCHESTER CITY striker Erling Haaland admitted he could have got Gabriel sent off for pushing his head towards him, which means the Arsenal centreback will be available for the Premier League run-in after he avoided a red card in the title show down. Haaland and Gabriel were involved in a long-running battle at the Etihad but tensions spilled over in the 83rd minute. It was sparked when Haaland gave Gabriel a push from the side after he had been fouled from behind by the Arsenal defender. Gabriel reacted by putting his head towards Haaland’s and they stood for a moment with their foreheads touch ing. But Gabriel then made another movement and pushed his head towards Haaland’s for a second time. Haaland did not respond, as team mates from both sides then broke them up. Anthony Taylor then showed both Haaland and Gabriel a yellow card for their involvement in the altercation, while the incident was checked by VAR. Speaking to Sky Sports , Haaland said: “If I fell on the floor there, which I will not do unless someone really attacks me, then it would be red card. “I’m not sure, I haven’t seen the situation. It is what it is, I will not fall on the floor. For me I don’t know why he comes up to my face.” Referee John Brooks was the VAR. He decided that Gabriel’s contact towards Haaland’s head was “deemed not to be excessively aggressive or vio lent”. He agreed with Taylor’s on-field assessment. Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, received his seventh booking of the season protesting the lack of punish ment. Guardiola could be seen acting out a “headbutt” on the touchline. It may raise some eyebrows, how ever, that Manchester United centre back Lisandro Martinez was sent off for pulling Leeds United striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair in a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford on Monday, while Gabriel avoided harsher punishment. Brooks was also the VAR for the Manchester United-Leeds match. Haaland was praised by Manchester City captain Bernando Silva, who called the striker an “animal” for how he competed against Gabriel and William Saliba. “Erling was fantastic today, fighting for every ball,” Silva told Sky Sports . “It’s not easy with two centre-backs that strong. Apart from the goal that he always scores, today he fought like an animal.” – The Independent Ű BY JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

Ű SUNNY BADWAL

ASTON VILLA boss Unai Emery reflected on a “crazy minute” which saw his side throw away a two-goal lead before they scored late on to beat Sunderland 4-3 at Villa Park. Ollie Watkins’ hot goalscoring form continued as he twice put Villa in front either side of 18-year-old Chris Rigg’s equaliser for Sunderland before Morgan Rogers made it 3-1 60 seconds into the second half. It looked like Villa were on course for a routine 3-1 victory until Trai Hume got one back for Sunderland with four min utes to play and they were on level terms 58 seconds later as it looked like they had snatched an unlikely point. However, Tammy Abraham

He said: “He apologised because he felt it was a key moment in this game and I don’t know about the decision making but the goalkeeper played the situation properly as well. “We are a bit disappointed which is a good sign because this is a tough place to play. We had ups and downs as as well, and today will be a good test for our journey and learning process, we are really young in this League. “We are a newly promoted side so we are going through positive experi ences and sometimes negative. We can be proud of our identity and the way we played this game.” – The Independent

emerged from the bench to knock in Lucas Digne’s cross and claim a vital win that pushed Villa 10 points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea as they battle to secure a Champions League spot. Emery said: “We started well. The first half was good, not enough but good and the second half we started playing with confidence, dominating. We conceded a few offensive actions but not really chances. “We were feeling comfortable. Of course, it was a crazy minute. We lost a little bit of focus, mind and positioning and they used it to score two goals and even have a chance after to score. “We needed the goalkeepers. He

saved the last one and the last minute it was clear we needed to win, one point was not enough. “It was a so-crazy last 20 minutes. Afterwards we can feel good, calm and speaking about a great victory but the minute we were on the field struggling with the goal and chances, it was very difficult.” Sunderland had the chance to win it but Habib Diarra chipped one straight to Martinez while one-on-one, and Villa went down the other end of the pitch and scored to snatch the points. Black Cats boss Regis Le Bris revealed Diarra put his hands up in the dressing room.

Reds show grit Slot hails Liverpool mentality after last-gasp derby winner A RNE SLOT praised the mentality of his Liverpool team after they grabbed a last gasp winner against Everton on Sunday to close in on a Champions League qualifica resources, that can happen, let’s put it that way. “But in the League, of course, we are far from where we want to be but we have to accept that situation because we’ve dropped so many points after playing in Europe.

have to come in just after conceding the 1-1 and the fans were ready for it, but he did his job really well,” Slot said. The Dutchman bemoaned his team’s ill luck with injuries this season. Forward Hugo Ekitike suffered a long-term Achilles injury during last week’s Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain, adding his name to the list. “Usually third goalkeepers don’t play a lot,” said Slot. “But in a season like ours, I think if you are play ing at the moment in the U-8 of Liverpool, you should be ready for making your debut because it’s unbelievable what’s happening to us.” – AFP/Agencies

tion spot. The Reds started their Premier League title defence strongly but collapsed from late September and will finish the season trophyless. However, wins against Fulham and Everton have taken fifth-placed Liverpool seven points clear of Chelsea, with the top five sides guaranteed Champions League football next season. Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead in the first derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, only for Beto to level after half-time.

“That’s why it’s also nice now, after a game in Europe, not to concede in the last minute, but to score after a game in Europe, the winner in extra time from a set piece, which you maybe would expect them to score from, but we did.” Slot said goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, in for the injured Alisson Becker, had been been taken to hospital with a “big wound” as Everton scored their equaliser. He was replaced by Freddie Woodman. “Freddie deserves a lot of credit because if you

But captain Virgil Van Dijk scored with a header in the 100th minute to seal all three points for Liverpool. “My players did what I was hop ing they’d do, what I expected they’d do and give Everton a big fight,” Slot told BBC’s Match of the Day . “In the end, scoring is a joy to

see because our away fans were brilliant today. A good day for the red side of Liverpool.” Match-winmner Van

Dijk admitted after the game that the season had not been good enough by Liverpool’s stan dards. “We haven’t felt a lot of joy this season, yet,” said Liverpool boss Slot. “I com pletely agree with

Virgil this sea son has not been of our standards.” He added: “Going out in the quarterfi nal of the FA Cup and

the

Champions League against, from open play, the two best teams in the world, with two great managers, with unlimited

Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk (centre) scores the winning goal during yesterday’s Premier League clash against Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium. – REUTERSPIC

Forest boss Pereira tips Gibbs-White for England recall after hattrick

Ű BY JONATHAN VEAL

The 26-year-old has been left out of the last two England squads and his World Cup dream appears to be over, but Pereira thinks Thomas Tuchel should reconsider. “He deserves that. This is just my opinion, but if I can give that, I think he deserves it, because he has the quality, he has the qualities of a leader,” said the Portuguese, who saw Igor Jesus close out the vic tory with a fourth goal late on as Forest moved five points clear of 18th-placed Tottenham. “When things are not happening in the way that you want, when the team is struggling in the

game, a lot of players could prefer to hide them selves, they do not want the ball. “But Morgan wants the ball, he wants the responsibility, he wants to score goals, he wants to assist. “When I told him that, when we are attacking, I wanted him to play in the pocket but, when we defend, he must defend on the side, it was not a problem for him. He understands the game. He has the spirit.” Burnley boss Scott Parker said it was inconceiv able his side could have lost so heavily from their

position of strength but said their drop to the Championship is “inevitable”. “The inevitable is there now, let’s be honest,” he said. “It’s a miracle in terms of what we need to do, what we need to try and be really. “So there are five games left, five Premier League games for these players, individually. That’s probably the route we go down in terms of what we need to be as individuals. “Of course we keep fighting, for sure, and we keep giving absolutely everything.” – The Independent

VITOR PEREIRA feels Morgan Gibbs-White deserves an England recall after his 15-minute hat trick fired Nottingham Forest closer to Premier League safety in a 4-1 win over Burnley. Gibbs-White has so often been the hero for Forest since their return to the top flight and once again delivered when his side needed it the most, bagging a first career treble to give them the three points after Zian Flemming had put the Clarets ahead.