The first incident involving Wolves' Mosquera began innocuously enough, with Mosquera successfully dispossessing Havertz of the ball. However, as the German international fell to the ground, he reached out and grabbed Mosquera by the neck in an attempt to regain control. Mosquera, visibly irritated by Havertz’s actions, almost choked the forward in response.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
However, better sense prevailed soon and Mosquera let off Havertz's neck after realising that his actions could be interpreted as aggressive. Despite the contact being brief, it was enough to raise questions about whether the Wolves defender had crossed the line into violent conduct.
THAT WASN'T ALL
The incident was swiftly reviewed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), but much to the surprise of many, no further action was taken against Mosquera. Despite the apparent aggression, the officials decided against issuing a red card, or even a yellow, to the Colombian defender.
Mosquera was not done yet as the defender bizarrely grabbed Gabriel Jesus' bum while the striker was adjusting his boots. The Brazilian was furious and shoved the defender away but got himself booked in the process.
Kai Havertz Arsenal 2024-25
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WHAT NEXT?
Before the controversy, the match had been largely defined by Arsenal’s dominance in possession and their ability to create scoring opportunities. One of the standout moments came when Bukayo Saka set up Havertz for Arsenal’s opening goal before the England international himself found the net with a piledriver that beat Jose Sa in the near post. After starting their Premier League campaign with three points, the Gunners will return to action against Aston Villa on August 24.
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