Gabby Agbonlahor Exposed After Calling Out Arsenal For 'Celebrating Like They'd Won The Champions League' vs Villa
Gabby Agbonlahor has been called out for slamming Arsenal's celebrations following their 1-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday.
Bukayo Saka's goal in the first half earned Mikel Arteta's side a vital three points in their battle for the top four.
Goalkeeper Bernd Leno denied Philippe Coutinho right at the death and his teammates celebrated by swarming around him.
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Gabriel collapsed to his knees in joy as the squad clapped the away end at Villa Park. Safe to say, it rubbed former Villa striker Agbonlahor the wrong way.
😳 “The way Arsenal celebrated it was like they’d won the Champions League!”
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) March 20, 2022
👀 “The scenes from the players, it was like they’d won the league. I think they over did the celebrations.”
Gabby Agbonlahor wasn’t happy with Arsenal’s celebrations at FT yesterday pic.twitter.com/KO85fLWZVz
He told talkSPORT: "The way they celebrated at the end of the game, it was like they’d won the Champions League, not qualified for it.
"I know it was a great result but the scenes and the players… we were right behind the fans. It was like they’d won the league, not beaten Aston Villa, a team that they should be beating.
"I think they overdid the celebrations."
It echoed the sentiments of Villa full-back and former teammate Ashley Young, who also disapproved of the wild scenes at full-time.
The sun is shining and the Arsenal fans and players are celebrating a big three points at Villa Park ☀️😎 pic.twitter.com/mgBbUtxMSQ
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 19, 2022
A big save from Bernd Leno to deny Coutinho with the last kick of the game 😲
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 19, 2022
The final whistle blows and the Arsenal players run to celebrate with their keeper! pic.twitter.com/tcwAJOc7UQ
What then emerged were comments Agbonlahor made late last year, after Steven Gerrard's first game as Villa manager.
Gerrard led his side to a 2-0 win over Brighton in November and it was at a time relegation seemed a real possibility.
It was a huge result and Agbonlahor beamed, yet again on talkSPORT: "His celebration for the goal, it was like he’d won a cup final! That’s what fans want to see and I think he’s going to do a great job for Aston Villa."
An interesting change of mindset within four months.
"Celebrating like he'd won a cup final, that's what fans want to see."
— James Benge (@jamesbenge) March 20, 2022
Not my words. Gabby Agbonlahor's after Aston Villa won their first match under Steven Gerrard.
He was right the first time. https://t.co/nTW7mTdSjj pic.twitter.com/ZTenQcr5fv
The Gunners haven't played Champions League football since 2017 and reaching Europe's elite competition once again is their main goal.
Young said they celebrated like they'd won the league and he isn't the first opposition player to make that remark after a loss.
Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves attacked Arsenal after their game at Molineux in January and said: "I didn't see Arsenal celebrating like this in the past 10 years - it was like they won the league."
In the reverse fixture a month later, Arsenal won again and Aaron Ramsdale made sure to celebrate right in Neves' face.
Arsenal are currently fourth in the league and have a game in hand on the chasing pack.
Topics: Arsenal, Premier League, Aston Villa
Daniel Marland