President Donald Trump took in-person delivery of his McDonald’s lunch order at the White House Monday — and that odd moment marked the most normal thing in Trumpworld the last 72 hours.
While holding his bags of cheeseburgers, fries and whatever else, Trump kept the delivery driver at his side while she weighed in on his no-tax-on-tips measure and he addressed reporters on a wide range of issues including the Iran war. The truly bizarre stunt played out as the U.S. began a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the president was embroiled in a simmering controversy over his posting an AI image of himself as Jesus Christ on Truth Social.
The publicly unscheduled but clearly staged press event played out just after noon as the press pool was ushered to the front door of the Oval Office to watch the president of the United States grin and receive two large bags of McDonalds from a delivery driver who then turned to reporters and praised the GOP’s move to end taxes on tipped wages in 2025.
“McDonalds!” the red-clad woman said in a tone clearly only audible to reporters outside the Oval as she rapped quickly on the door. Trump, a second later, opens the door: “Oh, nice to see you!”
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“Nice to meet you,” the woman replied. The two began a banter about how the “No Tax On Tips” policy Trump championed during the 2024 election was now helping her as part of the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” passed into law last year.
(Reuters)
In a moment of self awareness, Trump quipped to Simmons sarcastically: “This doesn’t look staged.”
Trump then addressed reporters and began a full press conference, the president standing side-by-side with the delivery woman in her red DoorDash polo shirt, and issued his newest threats against Iran and even spoke about his conflict with the Pope. His first question came from a reporter who asked about an AI-generated image the president posted and then deleted which depicted him as Jesus Christ.
“I thought it was me as a doctor,” Trump claimed of the image that portrayed him robed, holding his hand to a man’s forehead and healing him with a glowing white light. “It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better. And I do make people better.” The president did not explain why he deleted the image, which drew criticism from some conservatives and Christians.
Simmons stood awkwardly by Trump’s side as he took a range of questions from reporters (Reuters)
He also responded to a question about the current state of U.S.-Iran negotiations, and confirmed once again that the “sticking point” in the talks centered around Iran’s future nuclear ambitions. Trump had previously insisted that Iran had agreed to give up plans of developing nuclear weapons in the future as he insisted that his war with the country was already won, but over the weekend changed his story to admit that Tehran’s refusal to agree to U.S. demands regarding its nuclear program was the reason for the conflict continuing.
“[The sticking point] was over nuclear, yeah […] Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters. “And we agreed to a lot of things but they didn’t agree to that. And I think they will agree to it, I’m almost sure of it. In fact I am sure of it, if they don’t agree there’s no deal, there will never be a deal. Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. And we’ll get the dust back. We’ll get it back either way; we’ll get it back from them, or we’ll take it.”
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Trump’s reference to “the dust” refers to Iran’s remaining supply of enriched uranium, much or all of which is believed to be buried under rock and earth as a result of damaging U.S. strikes at Isfahan, Natanz and Fordow, three sites tied to the Iranian nuclear program hit by U.S. strikes last summer. Among the U.S.’s demands include the transfer of any remaining material to American hands.
Simmons stood awkwardly by Trump’s side as he took a range of questions from reporters (Getty)
In one more embarrassing moment, as the woman identified as “Sharon” stood beside him, Trump turned from attacking Democrats to the camera and posed a question to the DoorDash driver who was still awkwardly standing there regarding her views on “men in women’s sports”, the president and Republicans’ shorthand for the right of transgender girls and women to participate in sporting leagues corresponding to their preferred gender.
She sheepishly replied: “I really don’t have an opinion on that. No, no, I’m here on no tax on tips,” as the president pressed her.
The Independent reached out to the White House for more details about the event and the president’s order.
White House spokesman Steven Cheung later posted a photo of a half-eaten burger he declared he’d “had to dig in” to.
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Simmons is no stranger to Washington and previously testified before the House Ways and Means Committee for a hearing aimed at touting the “No Tax On Tips” legislation included as part of the GOP’s budget reconciliation package last year. The populist provision was part of a reconciliation package that included a massive surge of funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and also extended the 2017 Republican tax cuts passed under the president’s first term.
“This moment represents something bigger than a single delivery. It’s about the millions of Dashers across the country who are now able to keep more of what they earn when filing their taxes this year. With No Tax on Tips, Dashers across the U.S. saved hundreds of millions of dollars last year. DoorDash is proud to advocate on behalf of Dashers like Sharon and push for policies like No Tax on Tips because they deliver real impact to so many hardworking people and their families,” DoorDash said in a statement regarding Monday’s event.
According to information provided to USA Today by DoorDash, Simmons has completed nearly 12,000 deliveries on the DoorDash platform, according to her congressional testimony in July of last year.
“In early 2025, my husband was diagnosed with cancer and the toll that radiation & chemotherapy took on him forced him to reduce his hours at his job. Because DoorDash provides me with a truly flexible work schedule, I was able to drive him to and from his treatments. During that time, every extra dollar I earned mattered more than ever,” she told Congress last year.
Three appliances attended the scene on Buchanan Street on Sunday afternoon.
Fire crews raced to Frasers in Glasgow city centre after receiving reports of smoke coming from the popular store.
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Emergency personnel rushed to the shop at 2.41pm on Sunday, April 19. An alarm was raised following reports of a “small fire”.
Three appliances attended the scene on Buchanan Street, and firefighters discovered a small blaze within the building. The fire was extinguished, and there were no reported injuries, reports Glasgow Live.
The cause of the fire has not been confirmed, and all crews have since left the scene.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “We received a call at 2.41pm to Buchanan Street in Glasgow.
“We sent three appliances due to reports of smoke. There was a small fire that was extinguished by the fire service.
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“We are no longer in attendance.”
Frasers has been contacted for comment by our sister title.
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NEW YORK (AP) — A refund system for businesses that paid tariffs which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled President Donald Trump imposed without the constitutional authority to do so is scheduled to launch Monday.
Importers and their brokers will be able to begin claiming refunds through an online portal beginning at 8 a.m., according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency administering the system.
It’s the first step in a complicated process that also might eventually lead to refunds for consumers who were billed for some or all of the tariffs on products shipped to them from outside the United States.
Companies must submit declarations listing the goods on which they collectively put billions of dollars toward the import taxes the court subsequently struck down. If CBP approves a claim, it will take 60-90 days for a refund to be issued, the agency said.
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The government expects to process refunds in phases, however, focusing first on more recent tariff payments. Any number of technical factors and procedural issues could delay an importer’s application, so any reimbursements businesses plan to make to customers likely would trickled down slowly.
In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court on Feb. 20 found that Trump usurped Congress’ tax-setting role last April when he set new import tax rates on products from almost every other country, citing the U.S. trade deficit as a national emergency that warranted his invoking of a 1977 emergency powers law. International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
Although the court majority did not address refunds in its ruling, a judge at the U.S. Court of International Trade determined last month that companies subjected to IEEPA tariffs were entitled to them.
Not all taxed imports immediately eligible
Customs and Border Protection said in court filings that over 330,000 importers paid a total of about $166 billion on over 53 million shipments.
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Not all of those orders quality for the first phase of the refund system’s rollout, which is limited to cases in which tariffs were estimated but not finalized or within 80 days of receiving a final accounting.
To receive refunds, importers have to register for the CPB’s electronic payment system. As of April 14, 56,497 importers had completed registration and were eligible for refunds totaling $127 billion, including interest, the agency said.
System requires accuracy
Meghann Supino, a partner at Ice Miller, said the law firm has advised clients to carefully list in their declarations all of the document numbers for forms that went to CBP to describe imported goods and their value.
“If there is an entry on that file that does not qualify, it may cause the entire entry to be rejected or that line item might be rejected by Customs,” she said.
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Supino thinks the portal going live will require composure as well as diligence.
“Like any electronic online program that goes live with a lot of interest, I would expect that there might be some hiccups with the program on Monday,” she said. “So we continue to ask everyone to be patient, because we think that patience will pay off.”
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Nghi Huynh, the partner-in-charge of transfer pricing at accounting and consulting firm Armanino, said most companies claiming refunds will have imported a mix of items, and not all will qualify right away.
“It’s about having a clear process in place and keeping track of what’s been submitted and what’s been paid, so nothing falls through the cracks,” she said. “Each file can include thousands of entries, but accuracy is critical, as submissions can be rejected if formatting or data is incorrect.”
Patience with the process
Small businesses have eagerly awaited the chance to apply for refunds. Brad Jackson, co-founder of After Action Cigars in Rochester, Minnesota, said he starting compiling records and preparing to enter information into the system the minute CPB announced the launch date.
The company imports cigars and accessories from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Last year, it paid $34,000 in tariffs and absorbed much of the cost instead of raising customer prices, Jackson said.
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Last spring, he had a two-week delay in a shipment due to a missing document, so he is being more careful with refund documents, he said.
“My main concern is the turnaround time,” Jackson said. “A refund process that takes several months to complete doesn’t solve the cash flow problem that it is supposed to fix.”
Will consumers see refunds?
Tariffs are paid by importers, and some companies pass on the tax costs to consumers via higher prices.
The system starting up Monday will refund tariffs directly to the businesses that paid them, which are not obligated to share the proceeds with customers. However, class-action lawsuits that aim to force companies, ranging from Costco to Ray-Ban maker Essilor Luxottica, to reimburse shoppers are winding their way through the U.S. legal system.
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Individuals may be more likely to receive refunds from delivery companies like FedEx and UPS, which collected tariffs on imports directly from consumers. FedEx has said it would return tariff refunds to customers when it receives them from the CPB.
“Supporting our customers as they navigate regulatory changes remains our top priority,” FedEx said in a statement. “We are working with our customers as CBP begins processing refunds and plan to begin filing claims on April 20.”
They are appealing for information about the man, whom they believe is the owner of the dog and was last seen wearing dark clothes and a black cap.
The incident happened on New Lane, Huntington, close to New Lane Cemetery, at 11.50am.
The boy did not need hospital treatment and suffered no lasting injuries, say police.
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If you have information that can help police investigate the incident or locate the man, email rebecca.james@northyorkshire.police.uk, or, you can call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and ask for Rebecca James, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website.
Please quote reference 12260064394 when passing on information.
It was billed as a Premier League title decider and Arsenal must now hope that is not the case.
A win for City in midweek against Burnley and Arsenal will be second by the time they host Newcastle next weekend.
This was a significant improvement on Arsenal’s recent form in terms of overall performance but missed chances undermined that.
Kai Havertz wasted two huge opportunities. Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland were ruthless when their moments came. City now look certain to pull alongside the Gunners on the home straight.
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Mikel Arteta and his squad were applauded by their own fans at the full-time whistle
Getty
There was a defiance to the Arsenal away end at full-time.
They had just watched the Gunners fall to a painful defeat, a fourth in six matches in the latest instalment of the annual April stumble.
The Arsenal fans, though, gave the players a big ovation. This was a rallying cry of sorts, an insistence that the title race has not yet slipped away. How true that is will play out in Arsenal’s final five matches.
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Mikel Arteta‘s side were not outplayed. They did not collapse in the face of a huge occasion, but they were poor in front of goal.
That proved the difference. In a title race that could now come down to goal difference, it must change.
If it comes down to a straight shootout between Arsenal and City, it is hard to see the trophy not returning to Manchester.
In a strange way, though, some momentum has been restored for Arsenal. This was the best they have played in weeks and provides something to build on after a more adventurous display.
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The title is still there to be won, even if City now have to be the favourites.
Kai Havertz had a tough day at the office
Getty
What does Arteta do up front now?
In a game that Arsenal needed to hold the ball up in, Havertz started. He was a much more effective focal point leading the line than Viktor Gyokeres and linked the ball well.
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He also pressed superbly and forced the equaliser, harrying Gianluigi Donnarumma and charging down a clearance into the net.
The German was played clean through by Martin Odegaard on the hour mark and should have put Arsenal in front. That shot was saved. Five minutes later, Haaland scored the winner.
It would not have been the winner, though, had Havertz converted a free header deep in stoppage-time, but he powered that over the bar.
Those were two huge moments in the match and in Arsenal’s season. They could look even more costly come the end of May.
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Arteta does not have a striker than can do it all. Gyokeres is a better finisher but is lacking elsewhere. Havertz fell short when he was most needed.
Gabriel lucky to avoid a red card
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Gabriel loses Haaland battle
Gabriel barely saw Haaland in the early stages of the match.
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The Brazilian instead followed Cherki around the pitch, while Saliba went man-to-man with Haaland.
That changed with one clash before half-time, Haaland winning a header and Gabriel then wrestling with him on the floor as neither let the other up.
Gabriel was well off his best. He was beaten too easily by Cherki for the first goal and then let Haaland get in front of him at the back post for what proved to be the winner.
Arsenal’s centre-back was very fortunate to even make the full-time whistle.
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Another duel with Haaland led to the City striker shoving Gabriel off the ball and the Brazilian took the bait.
Gabriel has been superb this season, one of Arsenal’s players of the campaign, but this was an off-day at the wrong time.
Armed police have swarmed a tower block in north Manchester following an incident.
Emergency services are at the scene on Broadmoss Drive in Blackley, where the entrance to Somerton Court has been cordoned off. The road is partially blocked in both directions, according to traffic monitoring site Inrix.
A forensics unit has also been called to the incident. Greater Manchester Police has been contacted for comment.
They say the victim was walking on The Mount in Malton at about 8.20am on Wednesday when the driver confronted him and assaulted him, causing minor injuries.
Police are appealing for information about the suspect and any potential witnesses, particularly two women, who may have witnessed the incident.
Alternatively, you can call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and ask for Brooke Clark , or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website.
Please quote reference 12260067019 when passing on information.
That’s exactly that and when you don’t do it and they have individual quality to deliver in those moments, you risk losing the game because I don’t think there was any difference between the teams.
On if loss came down to bad luck:
“There are a few elements. There is an element of luck with whether the ball goes in or not. The second one the ball deflects, it goes to Haaland.
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“There is individual quality as well and there is, in that moment, to be so cool, precise and ruthless. You have to be that.”
On Arsenal’s performance:
“You could see at the end of the game, and right from the beginning, the attitude of the team. We could have been a bit more composed in certain moments but we certainly took the game to where we wanted and we had big chances to win.
“We went very close but not close enough and now we have to accept we lost an opportunity today, a big one, but there are still five games to go. We need to reset and go again because there are a lot of positives to take from the game.”
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On the approach:
“With the ball we had the same [intent] and we generated the situations that we believed we could generate.
“There is even one where Kai [Havertz] is totally free on the halfway to go one-on-one. We are in the level that we are in because this team has taken us there. That’s the level you need to be to win it.
“Today there are certainly elements, in front of goal which is the most important one, and big chances – you have to put them away to come away from the Etihad with three points.”
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On quality of the match:
“Yes, there was moments but it was a battle as well, and intensity, because you expect that.
“There were big parts of the game that had similarities with the first 28 minutes of the cup final because we had two massive chances to go ahead – and we didn’t. That changes the course of the game.
“We take it game by game, we had some very good moments a few days ago in the Champions League against Sporting.
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“We are playing so many games, we are the only team that is playing and playing and playing, that’s a difference as well.
“But the positive is that today we have seen the level and there are five games to go. We are going to give it a real go.”
On effect of losing this match:
“We have full belief that we can do it. Today we showed again the team that we are. It’s in our hands and it’s there for the taking.”
Arsenal’s lead at the top was cut to just three points with defeat away to Manchester City (Picture: Getty)
Patrick Vieira was ‘disappointed’ to see Eberechi Eze taken off in Arsenal’s 2-1 loss to Manchester City, claiming the forward was just beginning to ‘get into the game’ when he was substituted.
Erling Haaland scored his 23rd league goal of the season to steer City to within three points of Arsenal, with Pep Guardiola’s men boasting a game in hand over the leaders.
The Gunners produced a spirited display after their recent dip in form, with Kai Havertz making it all square just moments after Rayan Cherki’s solo piece of brilliance to open the scoring in the 16th minute.
The visitors had chances to draw level in an entertaining second half, with Eze striking against the woodwork and Havertz squandering a huge chance after being put through by Martin Odegaard.
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But Haaland’s 65th-minute effort ultimately proved the difference and City can leapfrog Mikel Arteta’s men in the Premier League table with victory over lowly Burnley on Wednesday night.
And after the final whistle, the ex-Arsenal captain suggested Arteta had made another possible mistake removing Eze from the field of play when he was beginning to make inroads in the final third.
Eze was taken off for Trossard in the 74th minute (Picture: Getty)
Haaland scored the decisive goal at the Etihad (Picture: Getty)
Asked if Arteta was wrong to move Eze out to the left, Vieira said on Sky Sports: ‘No because he didn’t stay on the left-hand side, he came inside and created the overload and that was, I think, the tactical plan.
‘It was really interesting because he touched the ball a lot.
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‘I was a bit disappointed, to be honest, that he came off because I think he was getting into the game and he could create chances for scoring goals because he’s got that quality.
‘Taking him off, I think I was disappointed to see him off.’
Guardiola’s side can leapfrog Arsenal with victory at Burnley on Wednesday (Picture: Getty)
The result means Arsenal have won just one of their last six matches in all competitions and Arteta’s side must quickly regroup ahead of their clash with Newcastle in a week’s time.
Roy Keane was encouraged by the Gunners’ display against City – but argued the visitors ultimately failed to deliver when it came to ‘the hardest part of football’.
‘The criticism with Arsenal over the last few months is maybe that lack of creativity,’ the ex-Manchester United captain explained.
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‘There was plenty of it today but the hardest part of football is putting the ball in the back of the net.’
Vieira felt Arteta got it wrong replacing Eze (Picture: Getty)
Keane’s Sky Sports colleague, Micah Richards, felt the result could be the beginning of the end for Arsenal’s title charge, with City wrestling the ‘momentum’ in their favour at a crucial stage of the campaign.
‘I’ve always said whoever wins this game will have the momentum,’ ex-City and England defender Richards declared shortly after the final whistle.
‘Obviously City got to go to Burnley and win that but Arsenal have still got two games before Manchester City play again, they’ve got Newcastle and Fulham.
‘I just thought this was the game. If they could get over the line in this game and stay within three points of Arsenal, I just think with the experience, the big players, the big moments…
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‘I thought Arsenal were very good in all honesty today, but Manchester City just get over the line and Rayan Cherki, what a player he is.
‘Bernardo Silva, the energy that he puts in, the way he gets on the ball, being an older guy. Leaving at the end of the season. But they just have that momentum going into the end of the season.’
In a season to forget, those Liverpool fans situated in the corner of the Hill Dickinson Stadium will never forget this afternoon on the banks of the River Mersey.
As Virgil van Dijk headed in a 100th-minute winner, the 3,000 Liverpool supporters went wild.
Yet again, Liverpool had snatched an injury-time winner against their local rivals. For the sixth time in Premier League history to be precise.
In this fixture last season, it was Everton celebrating an added-time equaliser when James Tarkowski scored in the last ever Merseyside derby held at Goodison Park.
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Now, no matter what happens, Liverpool will always have the bragging rights of the first derby at the Hill Dickinson.
For one afternoon in the Merseyside sunshine, they will not have cared one jot about the struggles they have endured this season.
Everton came into this game with real belief but it was Liverpool who defied the early storm to take a surprise lead through Mohamed Salah and they deserve credit for their work on set-pieces in training, which came to fruition when Van Dijk got on the end of Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner to exploit an Everton weakness that had been identified in the days leading up to the game.
Crucially, Arne Slot’s side now look set to secure Champions League football for next season and the Dutchman had two of his most senior players to thank for one of Liverpool‘s biggest victories this season.
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“At the end of the day, it’s the players who have been brilliant for such a long time for Liverpool Football Club that have come up with the goods. It’s Virgil van Dijk again, it’s Mohamed Salah who has managed to do it again and break Everton hearts,” said Pat Nevin on 5 Live.
“That goal has probably given Liverpool what they need – and what they need is Champions League football. They’re going to bring in a lot of players next season – yes, the name of Liverpool Football Club means a lot and that will drag a lot of players to them, but the Champions League helps. It really helps and I think they’ll get that after that moment from Virgil van Dijk,” Nevin added.
When it comes to days like this, the result trumps everything but Slot and Liverpool will be aware of the scale of the task that lies ahead.
That they look to set to secure Champions League football is primarily because Chelsea have lost their last four Premier League games and none of the chasing pack are likely to catch up with Liverpool, who have lost 10 league games this season.
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If the hierarchy choose to stick with Slot, then there are clear questions. Can this Liverpool team adopt an actual identity? What needs to be done defensively? How do you get the best out of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak? And perhaps above all, how do Liverpool live without Salah?
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy told BBC Sport: “Not being in a Champions League spot is a catastrophe for Liverpool and that win today goes a long way to putting them in it.
“I think every win for Liverpool is important at the moment, by hook or by crook – it doesn’t matter how they do it because the pressure is on.
“They are not playing well and they do look disjointed. They gave up chances today and they were second best in the first half.”
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 touching. But Gabriel then made a 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.
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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.”
What did the VAR say?
Referee John Brooks was the VAR. He decided that Gabriel’s contact towards Haaland’s head was not “deemed not to be excessively aggressive or violent”. He agreed with Taylor’s on-field assessment. Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, received his seventh booking of the season protesting the lack of punishment. Guardiola could be seen acting out a ‘headbutt’ on the touchline.
It may raise some eyebrows, however, 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. Gabriel also avoided an earlier yellow card after ripping Haaland’s undershirt in an earlier grapple.
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Could Gabriel be sanctioned?
As referee Taylor saw the incident, and it wasn’t missed by VAR, it means Gabriel will be available for Arsenal’s next three games. Arsenal will host Newcastle and Fulham before going to West Ham in their next three Premier League fixtures, with just five games of the season remaining.
What did Erling Haaland say?
The striker told Sky Sports: “If I fell on the floor there, which I will not do unless someone really attacks me, then it would maybe 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.”
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Haaland was also 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.”
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