The Premier League may introduce disciplinary measures for individual players if their goal celebrations are deemed harmful to the game’s image or likely to provoke opposing fans or players.
This follows criticism directed at some players for celebrations that many believe crossed the line into taunting opponents.
Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye received a yellow card after celebrating his winner against Brighton by flapping his arms like a seagull.
In contrast, Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly went unpunished after imitating Erling Haaland’s signature celebration during Arsenal’s 5-1 victory over Manchester City at the Emirates.
Former Arsenal striker, Theo Walcott applauded Lewis-Skelly for his boldness, stating, “He was not afraid of Haaland at all.”
However, pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher criticized the 18-year-old, calling his actions disrespectful. The incident was seen as a response to Haaland, who had mocked Lewis-Skelly in a heated 2-2 draw at the Etihad in September by taunting him with, “Who are you?”
Similar controversies have emerged in the past. Jamie Vardy was criticized for mimicking an eagle after scoring against Crystal Palace and was involved in heated interactions with Tottenham supporters in January following Leicester’s 2-1 win.
Neal Maupay also caused a stir when he copied James Maddison’s darts celebration after scoring for Brentford against Spurs. Maddison later expressed his disapproval in a post-match interview, with Maupay responding on social media.
More recently, Phil Foden and Joshua Zirkzee celebrated goals by pretending to fire guns towards the crowd, yet neither player was penalized.
In the NFL, such actions attract hefty fines.
Premier League chief football officer, Tony Scholes, commented on the matter, saying, “There’s a balance. I think we all like to see celebrations. Some of the celebrations have been very funny, entertaining, but there’s a line. Once it crosses over into mockery or criticism, then we would need to deal with it.”
Scholes also raised concerns about the growing difficulty for promoted clubs to remain competitive in the Premier League.
Last season, for the first time in 26 years, all three promoted teams were relegated back to the EFL. This season, the current relegation zone features Southampton, Ipswich, and Leicester—coincidentally the three clubs promoted last season.
The points required to survive in the Premier League have also decreased. Nottingham Forest avoided relegation last season with just 32 points, while Everton needed 36 points the year before. In 2022, Leeds narrowly stayed up with 38 points.
“We monitor that closely,” Scholes said. “The quality of this league is just unbelievable. Clubs coming up from the Championship find it incredibly difficult. Ipswich, for example, have invested heavily, but they’re in a tough spot. Hopefully, they can stay up, but it’s not easy to break into the league. It wouldn’t be good for the competition if newly promoted clubs kept going straight back down every season.”
On a more positive note, Scholes highlighted a record number of homegrown players making their Premier League debuts this season. So far, 54 homegrown players have made their top-flight debut in 2024/25, compared to 45 at this point last season.
A homegrown player is one who has been registered with an FA or FA of Wales-affiliated club for three full seasons before their 21st birthday, regardless of their nationality or current age.
Notably, Ipswich’s 25-man squad features 23 homegrown players, including 32-year-old Sam Morsy, who made his Premier League debut this season.
