According to reports, the touchline brawl between an Arsenal coach and Manchester City players Erling Haaland and Kyle Walker was sparked by a handshake.
Arsenal defeated title rivals Manchester City 1-0 thanks to a late strike by Gabriel Martinelli, and Gunners set piece coach Nicolas Jover, who previously worked for City, sought out Walker after the game.
According to the Sun, Walker was enraged when Jover refused to shake hands with his old City teammates after both Premier League meetings against Arsenal last season.
Walker squared up to Jover near the tunnel in the post-match scenes. Haaland then intervened to keep the two apart before other players and backroom staff joined in.
According to the article, Jover, who worked under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium for two years, stood with his hands behind his back following City’s triumphs over Arsenal in February and April, results that proved crucial in determining who won the title.
Jover is believed to have stated that he would not shake hands with anyone from City at the time, but that he wished to do so following Arsenal’s triumph – their first versus City in the league in 12 attempts.
The 41-year-old is thought to have left City on good terms in December 2021, therefore his reaction at the end of the two games last season may have surprised many connected with the Premier League champions.
After reviewing the tape on Monday, the Football Association decided not to take any action against Walker, Haaland, or Jover.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta claims he was not present when the incident occurred, while City manager Pep Guardiola remains tight-lipped about the event’s origins.
“I know what happened, but I don’t want to say anything,” Guardiola said. “They [Arsenal] know it.”
