{"id":1167,"date":"2026-04-01T03:12:04","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T03:12:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/?p=1167"},"modified":"2026-04-01T03:12:04","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T03:12:04","slug":"the-arsenal-double-standard-that-man-city-star-erling-haaland-has-helped-uncover","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/?p=1167","title":{"rendered":"The Arsenal double standard that Man City star Erling Haaland has helped uncover"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_1e9d73\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Erling Haaland&#8217;s absence for Norway has helped uncover a double standard in the coverage surrounding Arsenal&#8217;s international injury crisis<\/h2>\n<div class=\"Byline_byline-container__K_Owl\" data-testid=\"byline\"><span class=\"Byline_byline-content-wrapper__Imque\" data-testid=\"byline-content\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"Byline_author-badge-date-wrapper__Q7jj1\">\n<p><span class=\"\" data-testid=\"byline-publishedDate\">13:47, 31 Mar 2026<\/span><span class=\"ArticleTimestamp_updated-date__7qD4Q ArticleTimestamp_updated-date-with-published__iFKpF\" data-testid=\"byline-updatedDate\">Updated 19:00, 31 Mar 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"33691274\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Erling Haaland was rested for Norway's friendly despite Arsenal scrutiny over player injury crisis\" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.football.london\/article33691274.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_Erling-Haaland-and-Arsenal.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.football.london\/article33691274.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/0_Erling-Haaland-and-Arsenal.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.football.london\/article33691274.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/0_Erling-Haaland-and-Arsenal.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.football.london\/article33691274.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_Erling-Haaland-and-Arsenal.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Erling Haaland was rested for Norway's friendly despite Arsenal scrutiny over player injury crisis\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Erling Haaland was rested for Norway&#8217;s friendly despite Arsenal scrutiny over player injury crisis<cite aria-label=\"Image: Visionhaus\/Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Visionhaus\/Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Erling Haaland did not feature for Norway during their first international friendly last week. Something that, unlike Arsenal\u2019s own absentees, went somewhat under the radar.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The Manchester City striker is expected to feature against Switzerland on Tuesday night, but again will not play the full game. Norway boss Stale Solbakken explained the decision behind Haaland\u2019s absence ahead of the clash and why he was given \u201cspecial treatment\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;We have to take into account the overall load Erling has been under for a long, long time and based on that, we have concluded that the best solution for all parties is for him to get a necessary break now,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE! <\/strong><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><a aria-label=\"Latest Gunners news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook pageLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AFCFootball.London#\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">Latest Gunners news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Our conclusion is that it\u2019s best if Erling participates in at most one of the matches during this international break. We think it would be nice if he perhaps gets to show himself in front of the Ullevaal crowd against Switzerland.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;It is special treatment precisely because of what Erling has been through both on and off the pitch. There is a huge amount of pressure on him, and for me it is by far most important that he delivers at the World Cup in June.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;He probably won&#8217;t play the full game, but he&#8217;ll start the game. We haven&#8217;t fully determined (how many minutes he will play). It could be a similar scenario to Amsterdam. That is, those who start the match will get a good hour.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Arsenal\u2019s 10 players who have pulled out of international duty has been unequivocally the most talked about story of this fortnight. Some have gone as far as to say some players deserve Premier League suspensions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It is worth noting that Arsenal are far from the only club that have seen players pull out of international duty.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Haaland\u2019s absence from the first Norway match of the break hardly made news. Googling the striker\u2019s name before Solbakken\u2019s comments (and to an extent even afterwards) returns stories surrounding the player\u2019s spending habits, philanthropy and other unrelated topics before anything specific to not playing for Norway and now being given this \u201cspecial treatment\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Sir Alex Ferguson has been referenced during the break for his influence on getting players to leave international duty.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Speaking on \u2018<a aria-label=\"The Wayne Rooney Show\u2019Link opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/programmes\/p0lwvsnc\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">The Wayne Rooney Show\u2019<\/a>Rooney explained what his former manager used to do. &#8220;I always remember Sir Alex Ferguson before we&#8217;d go in for some of the games, I&#8217;m sure he&#8217;d speak to the England manager as well.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cHe&#8217;d be like: &#8216;Right, you, no more than 45 minutes. Make sure you come off after 45 minutes, or you only play 45 minutes.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;So, I&#8217;d get to England, and I&#8217;d be like: &#8216;Boss, I want to play 90 minutes. I want to play the full game, don&#8217;t take me off,&#8217; because I used to love playing. Some players were different, and some players were protecting themselves with injuries as well, especially in the friendly games. But I used to love going.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The reality is that it is up to the national sides on whether a player is allowed to pull out. Clubs cannot withdraw any of their players; the federations must make that decision.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Yet Arsenal continue to face scrutiny for the volume of players leaving, when in reality the decisions benefit the player, the club, and the country, especially with a World Cup in less than three months and many huge domestic fixtures left to play this season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Erling Haaland&#8217;s absence for Norway has helped uncover a double standard in the coverage surrounding Arsenal&#8217;s international injury crisis 13:47, 31 Mar 2026Updated 19:00, 31 Mar 2026 Erling Haaland was rested for Norway&#8217;s friendly despite Arsenal scrutiny over player injury crisis(Image: Visionhaus\/Getty Images) Erling Haaland did not feature for Norway during their first international friendly [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1168,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1167","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arsenal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1167","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1167"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1167\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1168"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1167"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1167"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1167"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}