Gabriel Martinelli has expressed his deep regret after shoving Liverpool's Conor Bradley off the pitch during Thursday's goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium. The Arsenal forward, who was booked for the incident, revealed he has apologised directly to the 22-year-old defender, who left the stadium on crutches with a knee brace.
In a social media post, Martinelli said: 'Conor and I have messaged and I have already apologised to him. I really didn’t understand he was seriously injured in the heat of the moment.' The incident occurred in the closing stages of the match, sparking anger from Liverpool players and criticism from pundits.
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane labelled Martinelli 'a disgrace' on Sky Sports, while Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta defended his player, saying: 'Knowing Gabi, he's an incredible, lovely guy, and he probably didn’t realise what happened.' Liverpool boss Arne Slot also showed understanding, stating: 'You cannot expect Martinelli to think so clearly in the 94th minute.'
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk was less forgiving, describing the push as 'not a good sight.' Bradley, who hit the crossbar in the first half, now faces a spell on the sidelines. Slot added: 'I fear the worst for Conor Bradley. We’ll have to wait on the scans.'
The draw leaves Arsenal six points clear at the top of the Premier League. Arteta praised his team's resilience, saying: 'What they've done is remarkable.'
