Anderson’s World Cup Incident
Elliot Anderson, the new signing for Manchester City, has addressed comments made by his teammate Erling Haaland. Haaland had previously referred to Anderson as a “diver” on Instagram, a remark that stemmed from an incident during the recent World Cup. The tournament was co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, where Norway, Haaland’s national team, was eliminated in the quarter-finals after a 2-1 defeat by England.
The specific incident that led to Haaland’s comment occurred during the quarter-final match. With the score tied at 1-1, Norway briefly took the lead when Torbjørn Heggem scored from a rebound following a corner. However, the goal was disallowed after a VAR review. Officials determined that Haaland had pushed Anderson to the ground, leading to the goal being chalked off. This decision reportedly angered the Norwegian public, with many fans believing Anderson went down too easily. Others suggested that Anderson had initiated contact by putting his hands on Haaland first, and Haaland himself publicly described the VAR decision as “poor.”
Haaland’s Social Media Comment and Anderson’s Reaction
Haaland, who had recently returned to Manchester after his post-World Cup break, posted a picture on social media with the caption, “Back to sunny Manchester!” In response to a fan’s comment saying, “Say hi to Anderson for me,” Haaland replied, “The diver?” This interaction quickly circulated among fans and the media.
When asked about the Instagram post, Anderson confirmed he had seen it. “Yeah, it got round pretty widely. He was calling me a diver,” Anderson stated. Despite the public jibe, Anderson took the comment in good humour. He described the exchange as “funny” and noted that Haaland had been helpful in his settling-in period at the club. Anderson added that Haaland was “completely honest” with him and described him as “a really good guy.”
Both players were present for pre-season training, indicating that there was no lingering animosity between them following the social media exchange and the World Cup incident. Haaland, who was the Coca-Cola Premier League Golden Boot winner last season, had an eventful summer, scoring seven goals for Norway during their World Cup campaign. His post-tournament activities included attending a fashion show and meeting basketball legend Michael Jordan before returning to club duties.
New Signings and Squad Returns
Anderson’s arrival at the Etihad Stadium comes after Manchester City reportedly spent £116 million to secure the England international. The club hopes this acquisition will help them reclaim the Premier League title. Anderson is among several players returning to their respective clubs following their World Cup duties and summer breaks.
Other notable returns to Premier League clubs include Enzo Fernandez, Malo Gusto, and Reece James reporting back to Chelsea. New Chelsea signings Morgan Rogers, Jordan Henderson, Valentin Barco, and Maxence Lacroix also began training with the team. Arsenal welcomed back their Spanish World Cup winners Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi, alongside English players Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, and Noni Madueke. David Raya and Bukayo Saka had returned to Arsenal training the previous week.
Beyond player returns, there have been other significant movements in the league. Pep Chavarria joined Chelsea from Rayo Vallecano, signing a five-year deal. The 28-year-old Spanish left-back’s career path saw him progress from Spain’s fourth tier to LaLiga before his move to west London. Additionally, Gustavo Hamer re-signed with Coventry City, returning to the club where he previously played from 2020 to 2023.
As clubs prepare for the new Premier League campaign, players like Haaland and Anderson are back in training, with the focus now shifting to the upcoming season.
Source: goal.com
