Arsenal legend Alan Smith has urged Erling Haaland’s dad to ‘get back in his box’ following his scathing criticism of Myles Lewis Skelly’s controversial goal celebration.
The fallout from last Sunday’s box office Premier League clash shows no sign of abating, with the rivalry between the 2 clubs reaching toxic levels.
Teenager Lewis-Skelly has been heavily criticised for goading Haaland by mimicking his trademark celebration after he scored his first goal for the club to place his side 3-1 ahead,
Haaland ruffled Arsenal’s feathers earlier this season when he threw the ball at Gabriel’s head following John Stones’ 97th minute equaliser after which the City goal machine called Gabriel Jesus a clown and urged Mikel Arteta to ‘stay humble’.
Arsenal gained a measure of revenge last week but Haaland Snr took offence to the sight of his son being mocked and took the chance to remind Arsenal of their lack of silverware.
Smith, who won two Golden Boots during two title winning campaigns under George Graham, hit back, reminding Alf-Inge that his time in England was hardly trophy-laden and insisted he saw nothing flawed with Lewis-Skelly’s antics.
‘Haaland’s dad had a bit of chip, didn’t he?’ said Smith. ‘Saying, ‘oh, yeah, all those trophies you’ve won,’ or something like that. I assumed, ‘oh, leave it’. It’s just funny!
‘By the best way, Alf-Inge, you didn’t win much! Back in your box. You possibly can’t live your life through your son, you realize. It was a fantastic moment, wasn’t it? Those sorts of things are great.’
Earlier this week, the Premier League outlined its intention to watch future goal celebrations and suggested disciplinary motion might be taken if any players took things too far.
The Premier League’s chief football officer, Tony Scholes, told Sky Sports on Wednesday: ‘There’s a balance.
‘I believe all of us wish to see celebrations. Among the celebrations have been very funny, entertaining, but there’s a line.
‘Once it crosses over into mockery or criticism then we would wish to cope with it.’
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With Arsenal out of the FA Cup the one way the 2 teams can meet again this season could be in Europe and that might require City to knock Real Madrid out of the Champions League.
Asked if he would encourage his players to retaliate in kind once they next meet the Gunners, Pep Guardiola sad on Friday: ‘No, come on, it’s a response, forget!
“It has happened. Later in our games perhaps we’ll find them within the Champions League this season. Otherwise, it’s over the possibility we will face, and next season we’ll attempt to beat them.
“This season we couldn’t do it at home and away. That’s all, it’s really, really not vital.”
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