Noel Gallagher clashes with talkSPORT host on Man City win and aims cheeky dig at Arsenal fans

Apr 20, 2026 - 18:31
Noel Gallagher clashes with talkSPORT host on Man City win and aims cheeky dig at Arsenal fans

Noel Gallagher has hit back at Arsenal fans’ reaction to their defeat against Manchester City by claiming ‘everybody looks good against us’.

The Gunners were beaten 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday as the Premier League title race took yet another twist.

Declan Rice (C) reacts after Arsenel's second goal during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Arsenal
The positives from Arsenal’s defeat to City have been rubbished by Oasis star Gallagher
AFP

City are now just three points behind the league leaders with a game in hand.

Pep Guardiola’s side will go top of the table for the first time since the opening weekend of the season by beating Burnley on Wednesday, which is live and exclusive on talkSPORT.

However, Arsenal fans have taken positives from their performance despite the result after an attacking display from Mikel Arteta’s men.

Gallagher has shut down their argument, though, as he joined Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent on talkSPORT Drive.

Gallagher reacts to City win

The Oasis superstar explained: “It’s a funny thing because Arsenal, you listen to everything now over the last 24 hours about how they played and Arsenal fans are funny.

“When they got beat by Bournemouth, they say, ‘it’s over, it’s finished, that’s it, it’s done.’ When they get beat by City, they say, ‘oh, well, we can still win.’ Well, what is it?

“Arsenal did play well because City let everybody play well. I don’t mean to rain on anybody’s parade here, but Forest looked good against us, West Ham looked good against us, Tottenham looked good against us. Everybody looks good against us.

“Arsenal against Newcastle in a couple of weeks will be a vastly different game and we’ll see what they’re made of then, when they’ve got to play in front of their own fans and Newcastle are parking the bus.”

Gallagher and Bent clash

Bent agreed with his fellow Arsenal fans that there were positives to take from the performance, though.

However, Gallagher disputed his argument as the pair became involved in a good spirited back-and-forth live on air.

Noel Gallagher ahead of the Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium,
Gallagher joked ‘everybody looks good against us’ as he clashed on air with Bent
PA

Discussing the visitors’ approach to the game, Gallagher added: “I think that they listen too much to what people are saying.

“All that mob, ‘we’ve got to go there and we’ve got to win, they don’t want to park the bus.’

“They could have parked the bus yesterday. I mean, fair play that they didn’t, great and all that, they made for a great spectacle, but you haven’t won anything in 20-odd years.

“I was expecting them to park the bus, but they wouldn’t be able to do that because if somehow they got beat 1-0, then there’d be hell to pay for them.

“It was Liverpool-esque, that performance by them. When Liverpool come to the Etihad and there’s a title race, they come to win. Arsenal came to win and fair play to that.

“But the only thing is, they got beaten. There are no positives to take from it because the last six games leading up to the City game, they’ve been dreadful. That’s what they’ll be like the week after next, fact.”

Erling Haaland (9) of Manchester City celebrates with his team mates at the final whistle at the end of the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal
City beat Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday in a boost to their title hopes
Shutterstock Editorial

Bent responded by admitting: “I disagree, because I think Arsenal turned up yesterday and they played better than they’ve played in months.”

Gallagher was having none of it, though, replying: “Yes, because we allowed you to. Listen, Nottingham Forest are like European champions when they play us.”

The talkSPORT co-host hit back as he continued: “Honestly, watching Arsenal week in, week out, I was happy with the way they played. I didn’t want them to park the bus.

“Arsenal can’t park the bus, so City would have still probably beaten them anyway.

“I’d rather watch what they did yesterday. In the end they got beat by the better side and fair play, but it’s the most chances I’ve seen Arsenal create in I don’t know how long.

“I don’t want to see them park the bus. At the minute Arsenal are not good enough to park the bus against anyone.”

Mikel Arteta manager / head coach of Arsenal reacts during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal
Arteta’s side took an attacking approach against City but were ultimately beaten
Getty

A positive performance in defeat will be meaningless if the Gunners fail to win the title, though, Gallagher explained.

He said: “But you say that. We all want to see that, we all want to see great games of football, but in six weeks when it’s done, would you rather not see the trophy in the cabinet?

“No one’s going to say, ‘well, that was a c**p game,’ are they? No one’s going to say that.”

Bent refused to budge on his stance, revealing: “I still think even if Arsenal parked the bus, City probably still would have won and then we still would have moaned about it.

“So I’d rather Arsenal play what they did yesterday and try and win the game, create chances. If they get beat, you get beat.”

As Gallagher asked what the positives were from Sunday, Bent continued: “Honestly, watching Arsenal the last few weeks, we have not created any chances.

Noel Gallagher, English singer and songwriter, is seen at the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal
Gallagher could not resist a cheeky dig at the expense of Arsenal supporters
Getty

“So to get four or five clear-cut chances we probably should have scored.”

The musician quickly rebutted: “But you didn’t score any of them,” only for Bent to point to Kai Havertz’s equaliser.

Gianluigi Donnarumma’s error gifted Arsenal the chance to draw level just two minutes after City had taken the lead.

Gallagher sarcastically replied: “Well, alright, nice one. We gave you one, what happened after that?”

Fortunately for Donnarumma, Erling Haaland was on hand to score what proved to be the winner in the second half.

Arsenal will be able to regain top spot if City leapfrog them in midweek.

The Gunners face Newcastle United and Fulham at home before their title rivals return to Premier League action against Everton on May 4.

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