A fiery Premier League clash between Arsenal and Liverpool ended in major controversy after Gunners forward Gabriel Martinelli shoved injured defender Conor Bradley in stoppage time.
Late Incident Sparks Fury
With the tense encounter at Anfield locked at 0-0 deep into added time, Liverpool's Conor Bradley cleared the ball before collapsing in agony, having twisted the lower part of his left leg near the touchline. Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli, eager for play to resume, urged referee Anthony Taylor to make the stricken player roll off the pitch. When Bradley did not move, Martinelli aggressively pushed the Northern Irishman, seemingly causing him further pain.
The act immediately triggered a furious reaction from the Liverpool players. Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister charged towards Martinelli, leading to a scuffle that required Declan Rice to intervene. The referee booked Martinelli for his initial push, while Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate also received a yellow card for his part in the ensuing melee.
Sky Sports Pundits Unleash Scathing Criticism
The incident dominated post-match analysis on Sky Sports, where pundits Gary Neville and Roy Keane did not hold back in their condemnation.
A visibly angry Gary Neville branded Martinelli an "idiot" for his actions. "You cannot do that. You idiot. That is so poor," Neville fumed. "I am actually fuming with Martinelli. I don’t know how the Liverpool players didn’t go over and absolutely whack him... Absolutely disgraceful."
Roy Keane, referencing his own infamous past incident, was equally critical. "I didn't like it... It's not good. That behaviour is an absolute disgrace. He is a good boy to roll around himself. Hopefully Martinelli will have a good look at it and apologise."
Player and Manager Reactions
Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai defended his teammate, stating, "He didn't want to come back on the pitch to time waste, he was just in so much pain... I get the want to win, but I think the health of a player is more important."
In contrast, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta offered a defence of his player, telling Sky Sports, "He probably doesn't know. Knowing Gabi... there is no intention to do anything bad to him."
The goalless draw meant Arsenal missed the chance to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points. They failed to register a shot on target until the second half, with substitute Martinelli managing just one attempt in his 26 minutes on the pitch.
The unsavoury conclusion left a sour taste after a fiercely competitive match, with the fallout from Martinelli's push set to dominate headlines beyond the final whistle.
