Simon Jordan Launches Scathing Attack on Martin Keown's Arsenal Commentary
TalkSPORT presenter and former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has fiercely criticised ex-Arsenal defender Martin Keown for what he described as "biased" commentary during Wednesday night's Champions League clash between Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen.
Controversial Penalty Decision Divides Opinion
The controversy centres on a late refereeing decision that saw Arsenal awarded a penalty in the 89th minute when Noni Madueke went down inside the box. Kai Havertz converted the spot-kick to secure a 1-1 draw for the Premier League leaders against their German opponents.
The decision has sparked widespread debate, with many observers believing Madueke exaggerated minimal contact from Leverkusen's Tillman. Critics argue there was only slight contact on his left boot - insufficient to justify the dramatic fall that resulted in the penalty award.
Keown's Unwavering Defence of the Decision
Former Arsenal centre-back Martin Keown, working as a pundit for TNT Sports, firmly defended the penalty decision during his commentary. "For me it was a penalty," Keown stated emphatically. "You had to see it from different angles first but for me, that left foot definitely gets trapped in from the torso of Tillman. There's no doubt about that."
When TNT Sports presenter Lynsey Hipgrave questioned whether Keown would maintain the same position if the decision had gone against Arsenal, the former defender responded defensively. "You're turning things around though. It wasn't Lynsey. It wasn't a penalty given against Arsenal," Keown retorted.
Jordan's Explosive Social Media Response
The clip of Keown's commentary appears to have infuriated Simon Jordan, who responded with a blistering critique on social media platform X. "Oh dear Martin ffs. Did I say that old Keown lacks objectivity. f**k me backwards, he is the grand frommage of bias," Jordan wrote in his characteristically forthright style.
Jordan's fellow talkSPORT host Gabby Agbonlahor echoed these sentiments, stating bluntly: "Madueke dived. Blatant dive. Mr bias, Martin Keown, doing the game last night said it was a definite penalty. It's getting a bit silly now his bias towards Arsenal."
History of Tension Between the Pundits
This incident represents the latest chapter in an ongoing feud between Jordan and Keown regarding the former defender's perceived lack of objectivity when discussing his former club. The pair previously engaged in a heated exchange live on air following Arsenal's victory over Tottenham in the north London derby.
During that earlier confrontation, Keown had accused talkSPORT presenter Andy Goldstein of "taking fun" from Arsenal's "demise," prompting Jordan to interject: "I'm not sure you need to lecture people about how they conduct themselves, Martin, you have no objectivity. So the reason why you catch shrapnel is because you lack objectivity. You are very subjective about situations, you become very defensive of it, no-one has got any agenda against Arsenal."
The latest controversy highlights the ongoing debate about former players maintaining impartiality when commentating on their old clubs, with Jordan positioning himself as a vocal critic of what he perceives as Keown's unwavering Arsenal bias.
