Newcastle United's digital antics have sparked conversations across the football world following their emphatic victory over Arsenal. After defeating the Gunners 4-0 on aggregate in the Carabao Cup at the Emirates Stadium, Newcastle took to social media to celebrate their triumph. Their post featured a photo of the ball nestled in the goal, captioned "The culprit:", which quickly went viral, amassing 4 million views and 118,000 likes on X within just an hour.
In the wake of this playful jab, the Premier League is now contemplating strict measures against players who engage in celebrations deemed detrimental to the sport's reputation. This move appears to be a response to various recent incidents, including Newcastle's cheeky reference to Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta's comments about the match ball. Arteta had previously described the ball as "tricky" and "flies a lot" after his team squandered 23 shots worth 3.09 expected goals during the match.
Despite the light-hearted trolling, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe praised his team's performance, highlighting their growing maturity. Goalscorer Anthony Gordon emphasized the importance of humility following their success, stating:
"It's important for us to stay humble now, we went on a really good run and had two results we didn't see coming." – Anthony Gordon
Gordon's remark possibly alluded to an earlier incident involving Manchester City's Erling Haaland, who had sent a message to Mikel Arteta after Arsenal's 2-2 draw at Man City in September.
Meanwhile, Newcastle's social media strategy stands in contrast to other recent celebratory antics by Premier League players. Iliman Ndiaye imitated a seagull in front of Brighton fans during Everton's win, while Myles Lewis-Skelly mimicked Erling Haaland in Arsenal's 5-1 victory over Man City on Sunday. These incidents have contributed to growing concerns among league officials about the potential for goal celebrations to incite tensions among fans and players.
The Premier League is reportedly considering implementing penalties for individuals who partake in inflammatory celebrations. This measure aims to maintain the decorum of the game and mitigate any negative impact on its reputation.
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