Roy Keane disagrees with Mikel Arteta on ‘disgraceful’ Martinelli row | Football | Sport
Mikel Arteta has staunchly defended Gabriel Martinelli following his controversial incident with Conor Bradley. In the final moments of stoppage time, the Arsenal winger showed little sympathy towards Bradley, who had sustained an injury. The Liverpool defender fell to the floor after jumping to clear the ball, landing awkwardly and clutching his leg in evident pain.
Instead of offering comfort to the visibly distressed Bradley, Martinelli tossed the ball at him. The Gunners’ forward then attempted to shove him off the pitch, inciting a heated response from the opposing team. After referee Anthony Taylor managed to quell the ensuing melee, the Reds’ right-back was carried off the field on a stretcher. After the match, Arteta was questioned about his player’s conduct.
Arteta responded: “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.”
However, Roy Keane was less forgiving, labelling the incident as an ‘absolute disgrace’. The Manchester United legend expressed his disapproval on Sky Sports, stating: “I didn’t like it at all. It happened to me once.
“I was badly injured, and a player stood over me. 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 was similarly unimpressed with Martinelli. Speaking from the commentary position at the Emirates, he 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. I think an apology is needed.”
Moments later, Neville suggested that a Liverpool player should ‘whack’ Martinelli. He added: “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, who received the man of the match award, shared his views on the incident. The Liverpool midfielder said: “I see that Conor [Bradley] twisted his knee.
“I don’t know what is going on with him. He didn’t want to come on to the pitch, time wasting. He couldn’t think where he was. Then he [Martinelli] comes to push him on the pitch.
“I understand they want to win, we want to win. But the health of the player comes ahead of everything else!”
