Oasis star Noel Gallagher has joked that his heart is full of pride after his 15-year-old son Sonny aimed an X-rated gesture at Manchester United supporters during Manchester City's derby victory at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The teenager flipped his middle finger and jeered at rival fans in the stands 62 minutes into the Premier League match, just as star striker Erling Haaland netted what later proved to be the winning goal for the visiting side.
Haaland's second-half strike arrived while Manchester City were playing a man down following a red card shown to midfielder Phil Foden. The decisive goal was awarded after a lengthy Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check for offside, which home supporters believed would rule out the effort before the decision went in City's favor.
The 59-year-old rock musician punched the air in jubilation, chanted, and clapped in the away end alongside his 18-year-old son Donovan as Sonny aimed both middle fingers at the opposing supporters.
Speaking to national sports radio station talkSPORT after the match, Gallagher joked that his youngest son's fiery reaction was confirmation of a good parenting job.
"There comes a point in your time as a father where you look at your children and you think, 'My god, I brought you up well' - when they feel it as much as you do and when they get it," Gallagher said.
Derby rivalry and radio reaction
Gallagher defended the teenager by highlighting the passionate and hostile atmosphere generated by rival supporters during high-stakes Manchester derby fixtures.
"Let's not forget, when you're in that away end and the United fans are in front of you, they're giving it to you as much as you're giving it to them," he said. "But he made the newspapers today and my heart is full of pride for my sons who got stuck into it yesterday and got stuck into the United fans as well."
The Gallaghers are die-hard Manchester City fans who supported the club long before it transformed into the dominant force in English football. Noel and his younger brother Liam, who achieved worldwide fame with their rock group Oasis during the 1990s, are widely regarded as the team's most recognisable celebrity supporters.
Songs by Oasis have become the musical backdrop to the vast array of trophies and successes City has amassed since Sheikh Mansour bought the club in 2008. Sunday's triumph at Old Trafford, the historic home of Manchester United, added another chapter to the fierce footballing feud between the two North West rivals.
