Noel Gallagher left needing stitches after being "headbutted" by football star's father

By Jeremy Wilson of the Telegraph

Former Oasis star Noel Gallagher has revealed that he received urgent St John Ambulance treatment at the Etihad on Sunday after being inadvertently headbutted by the father of Manchester City defender Rúben Dias during ecstatic celebrations for Manchester City's Premier League triumph.

City dramatically recovered from 2-0 down against Aston Villa after 68 minutes to win 3-2 following three goals in the space of five minutes.

It meant beating Liverpool by a single point and winning a fourth Premier League title in five seasons, sparking wild celebrations both on the pitch and in the stands.

"As the third goal goes in, right, there is absolute bedlam," explained Gallagher. "As you can imagine, in the stadium where we sit, Rúben Dias's family are in the box, a couple of boxes up.

"So I'm jumping around like an idiot, passing my 11-year-old son around like the Premier League trophy, everyone is lifting him up, and I turn around and Rúben Dias' dad runs straight into me - headbutts me while I'm on the floor covered in blood."

Gallagher required several stitches but returned to continue the celebrations and even later saw City manager Pep Guardiola.

Speaking to TalkSport Breakfast with Laura Woods, Ally McCoist and Jamie O'Hara, Gallagher added: "I don't see the last two minutes - I've got to get taken down by the St John Ambulance and had to get stitched up. I've got stitches in my top lip, I've got two black eyes. As I'm going down the corridor Pep's running up crying and we kind of hug each other and he says 'what's up with your face?'

"If you've seen me today [Monday], I look like I've just arrived home from the eighties, from Elland Road. I look like I've had my head smashed in. It's unbelievable. A lot of City fans are asking, 'You alright? What's happened?' and I said - you'll never guess."

The father of the Portgual international Dias was unhurt in the incident. "Not a mark on him," said Gallagher. "He's a big bear of a man - he almost knocked my teeth out. But as days go at The Etihad that's got to be up there with the best."

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission