Gabriel Martinelli Arsenal
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In the closing moments of Arsenal’s encounter with Liverpool, a controversial incident unfolded involving Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli and Liverpool defender Conor Bradley. As the match approached its conclusion, Bradley suffered an injury after an awkward fall while attempting to clear the ball. Instead of offering support, Martinelli threw the ball at the injured player and attempted to push him off the pitch, leading to a heated confrontation between the two sides. The situation was eventually calmed by referee Anthony Taylor, but not before Bradley was stretchered off the field.
Mikel Arteta said: “Probably he doesn’t know because knowing Gabi, there is zero intention. I don’t know what happened to Conor, but hopefully it’s not bad, but obviously, there is no intention from Gabi to do anything bad to him.”
Roy Keane said: “I didn’t like it at all. It happened to me once. It’s not good. We know football, the player is a good lad. Throwing the ball at him, standing over him and getting a little knee on him. He tries to force him off. That behaviour is an absolute disgrace. He’s a good boy to roll over himself. Hopefully, Martinelli will have a look at it and hopefully, he’ll apologise for it. Not good stuff that.”
Gary Neville said: “Oh you can’t push him off the pitch. You cannot do that, you idiot. That’s so poor. I’m surprised the Liverpool players haven’t gone over and had a right pop at him. He’s thrown the ball at him as well. Yeah, it’s no good. Gonna be stretchered off Conor Bradley, and it’s a sad sight. He’s someone who has had injuries. He’s got those hands over his face, and I’m actually fuming with Martinelli, to be honest. I don’t know how Liverpool players didn’t go over and whack him to be honest with you, and take a red card. Absolutely disgraceful that.”
Dominik Szoboszlai said: “I see that Conor [Bradley] twisted his knee. I don’t know what is going on with him. He couldn’t think where he was.”
The incident has drawn significant attention, with football pundits and fans alike expressing their disapproval of Martinelli’s actions. Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager, defended his player, suggesting that Martinelli had no malicious intent. However, former Manchester United captain Roy Keane was less forgiving, labeling the behavior as disgraceful and urging Martinelli to apologize. Gary Neville echoed Keane’s sentiments, expressing his disbelief at Martinelli’s actions and his surprise that Liverpool players did not retaliate.
The match itself was a testament to Arsenal’s strong form under Arteta, as they continue to compete for top honors in the Premier League and Champions League. Despite the controversy, Arsenal remains focused on their pursuit of silverware this season. The Gunners are currently in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals and are determined to leave no stone unturned in their quest for success. As the season progresses, Arsenal fans can expect comprehensive coverage of all the highs and lows, from VAR controversies to standout performances.
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