Simon Jordan Lambasts Martin Keown for Alleged Arsenal Bias
Simon Jordan has launched a scathing attack on former Arsenal defender Martin Keown, accusing him of being the "grand frommage of bias" following a contentious penalty decision in the Champions League.
Controversial Penalty Sparks Debate
Arsenal secured a dramatic late draw against Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie, with Kai Havertz converting an 89th-minute penalty. The decision to award the spot-kick, however, has ignited fierce debate across the football community.
Substitute Noni Madueke went down in the box under minimal contact from Bayer Leverkusen's Malik Tillman, with replays showing the winger taking an extra step before collapsing. Despite vehement protests from the German side, the referee's decision was upheld by VAR, leaving many questioning the legitimacy of the call.
Keown's Unwavering Support Draws Criticism
Martin Keown, a legendary figure at Arsenal with 422 appearances for the club, was unequivocal in his support of the penalty award during his commentary for TNT Sports. He stated, "For me it was a penalty. 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."
This unwavering stance prompted a furious response from talkSPORT host Simon Jordan, who took to social media to express his disbelief. Jordan wrote, "Oh dear Martin ffs. Did I say that old Keown lacks objectivity. f**k me backwards, he is the grand frommage of bias."
Widespread Condemnation of Keown's Commentary
Jordan was not alone in his criticism of Keown's perceived partiality. Fellow talkSPORT presenter Gabby Agbonlahor also condemned the former defender's remarks, labelling Madueke's actions as a "blatant dive." Agbonlahor added, "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. I'm just surprised VAR didn't overturn it. Arsenal were very lucky and boring to watch."
TNT Sports presenter Lynsey Hipgrave attempted to challenge Keown's objectivity during the broadcast, questioning, "If that was given against Arsenal though, what would you be thinking?" Keown dismissed the hypothetical, replying, "You're turning things around though. It wasn't Lynsey. It wasn't a penalty given against Arsenal." He further defended his position by noting, "What I will say is that VAR won't go against that if there's any kind of contact and we can see there that there was contact."
Arteta Praises Madueke's Impact
Despite the controversy, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised Madueke's contribution after he replaced the injured Bukayo Saka. Arteta commented, "I'm not surprised at all because that's his biggest quality. He's very brave at doing that and he’s a real threat so to have a player with that ability when we need him and to step in in the manner that he did, big credit to him."
The 1-1 draw leaves Arsenal as favourites to progress ahead of the second leg at the Emirates Stadium next week, but the fallout from this contentious penalty decision continues to dominate discussions, highlighting the ongoing debate over bias in football punditry.
