Devansh Mathur

Tshirts, Banners & More: Arsenal Fans Went All Out To Make Erling Haaland ‘Stay Humble’

AFTV, Arsenal, Erling Haaland, Manchester City, Myles Lewis-Skelly

Arsenal’s emphatic 5-1 victory over Manchester City at home sent a message to the League that the Gunners are still pushing for a title. But it’s not just the scoreline that matters; it’s the fixtures underlying narrative that had been brewing since September.

While Arsenal have looked the better side this season and City have struggled to find their usual dominance, even the most optimistic Arsenal fans wouldn’t have predicted a landslide win. Yet, that’s exactly what happened, and it came with an extra layer of motivation—Erling Haaland’s past words.

When the two sides met earlier in the season, John Stones’ late equalizer denied Arsenal a crucial victory at the Etihad. As the match concluded, Haaland had a few choice words for opposition manager Mikel Arteta: “Stay humble eh, stay humble,” were the Norwegian’s words for the Spaniard.

The remark did not sit well with the Gunners, and months later, they arrived at the Emirates prepared to return the favour.

Though no one could predict how the game would unfold, Arsenal fans ensured Haaland knew revenge was on the cards. Banners, jerseys, and chants all targeted the Norwegian striker.

One Arsenal speaking to popular channel AFTV had shown up to the game wearing a custom jersey. This Arsenal home kit didn’t feature a star attacker’s name on the back; instead, it had “Stay Humble” as the name and the number 9.

A fan wearing a custom Stay Humble kit

The camera showed a poster in the crowd that read “Stay Humble” with Haaland’s name in the corner of the poster crossed out in red, making the message unmistakably clear.

Stay Humble Haaland poster

Inside the Emirates, the atmosphere was charged. Chants of “Stay humble you c***, Erling Haaland stay humble you c***” echoed around the stadium, fueling the tension as Arsenal led the contest for almost the entire 90 minutes.

But the biggest statement came from Arsenal’s young star, Myles Lewis-Skelly. The teenager was also on the receiving end of Haaland’s taunts in the first game: “Who the f*** are you?” was the striker’s comment back in September. The 18-year-old got his revenge in the most poetic way possible, by scoring Arsenal’s third in the 62nd minute and celebrating with Haaland’s own signature yoga pose.

Cold picture of Skelly celebrating along with his teammates

Fans online took pride in the youngster’s celebration, “Trolling Erling Haaland at the age of 18 is crazy. Haaland will have to remain humble forever and ever Amen.” “Haaland now knows who he is… What a great way to respond to Erling Haaland” wrote a second user.

When asked about the moment in a post-match interview, Lewis-Skelly kept his response cool and measured. “I’ve been working hard, staying grounded, and just trying my best for the team.” When the reporter asked if he had any words for Haaland, Skelly laughed and responded, “Stay humble bro.”

The Arsenal faithful weren’t the only ones reveling in the moment. Even the Emirates Stadium’s PA turned DJ decided to have a little fun and enjoy the moment. As City trudged off the pitch after a humbling defeat, the song “HUMBLE” by Kendrick Lamar was played in the stadium.

https://twitter.com/Tripple____M/status/1886125777554391442

After the game, Arsenal fans at the Clock End were also seen posing for a picture while mimicking the Haaland pose, as a final reminder and an end to the “Stay Humble” story.

Fan’s celebrating after Arsenal’s win