Double buteur contre City, Jackson célèbre avec un geste d'égorgement qui divise

Nicolas Jackson was the architect of Aston Villa’s victory against Manchester City (2-1) on Saturday, scoring both of his team’s goals in the second half. But it was less his performance than his celebrations that fueled discussion after the match.

With each goal, the Senegalese striker concluded his run with a thumbs-down — evoking the Roman emperor condemning a gladiator — before following up with a throat-slash mime. After his second goal, he repeated the gesture in front of two separate cameras, ensuring he was filmed from multiple angles. This is not the first time he has adopted this celebration this season.

The reaction from English media remained measured. In France, commentator Stéphane Guy did not hide his discomfort: “I loved that goal but I hated that celebration.” The contrast with the treatment of similar gestures in Ligue 1 is striking: Paris Brunner received a four-match ban, two of which were suspended, for mimicking a throat-slash after a goal at Strasbourg.

On the sporting front, Jackson’s brace — his seventh and eighth goals across all competitions this season — confirms the success of Unai Emery, who had already worked with the striker at Villarreal. Since his arrival at Aston Villa, the Spanish manager has clearly managed to revive a player who struggled to establish himself permanently at Chelsea. The question of a possible disciplinary sanction from the Premier League remains pending.