Gabriel Martinelli nearly ignited a mass confrontation when he forcefully pushed a clearly distressed Conor Bradley off the field, shortly after the Liverpool defender was stretchered off due to injury during a match against Arsenal.
Bradley landed awkwardly while contesting a ball with Martinelli late in the Premier League encounter and appeared to be in significant pain.
However, Martinelli reacted by throwing the ball at the injured player before attempting to push him off the pitch to resume play.
Gary Neville criticized him, calling his actions “idiotic” and “disgraceful,” expressing surprise that Liverpool players did not respond more aggressively.
“You can’t just push him off the pitch,” Neville commented on Sky Sports, suggesting Martinelli was fortunate not to receive a red card. “That’s simply unacceptable. An apology is warranted.”
“Bradley is being carried off on a stretcher. I’m genuinely infuriated with Martinelli. I don’t know why Liverpool players didn’t step in and retaliate; they could have easily gotten a red card. Absolutely disgraceful behavior.”
Martinelli was not penalized for his conduct; however, Reds defender Ibrahima Konate received a yellow card for his involvement in the incident.
Dominik Szoboszlai emphasized that Bradley was not attempting to waste time and stressed the priority of player safety above all else.
“I saw Conor twist his knee. He wasn’t trying to waste time; he was in no condition to continue,” Szoboszlai told Sky Sports. “To push him while he’s down is unacceptable. We all want to win, but player health must come first.”
Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli (right) was not penalized for moving injured Liverpool full-back Conor Bradley (not pictured) off the pitch (PA) (PA Wire)
Liverpool manager Arne Slot offered some defense for Martinelli, aiming to de-escalate tensions.
“I don’t know Gabriel Martinelli personally, but he seems like a nice guy,” Slot remarked during his press conference. “The issue at hand is that there is so much time-wasting in football and players often feign injury, especially in critical game moments. It’s understandable to feel frustrated when you’re trying to score.”
“It’s hard to expect Martinelli to maintain composure in the 94th minute of such an emotional match against Liverpool. I know he would never have acted that way if he understood the severity of the injury. It doesn’t look good given the injury that we fear he may have.”
Arne Slot defended Martinelli amid the time-wasting issue in football (REUTERS)
“Time-wasting and diving have reached a point where players might feel compelled to act impulsively. I completely understand if Martinelli thought this was just another case of time-wasting; he may not have realized it was serious.”
Regarding Bradley’s injury, Slot noted, “I don’t have the details yet, but it didn’t look good when he had to leave on a stretcher. We’ll wait for the results from the scans to see if he’s seriously injured or if he might be available for Monday’s game.”
Reactions remained critical after the match, with Roy Keane echoing Neville’s sentiments. “I was unimpressed with Martinelli’s actions,” Keane said. “It’s a difficult situation to be in when you’re injured, and it’s disrespectful to have a player stand over you like that.”
Martinelli was fortunate not to be penalized for his actions, which risked provoking a major conflict (Action Images via Reuters)
“Throwing the ball at him and trying to push him off the pitch was completely unacceptable,” Keane continued. “He should reflect on his behavior and consider offering an apology. That kind of conduct is not forgivable.”
Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge added, “It’s disappointing to witness. There’s a fine line between passion and disrespect. You have to acknowledge your opponent’s condition.”
“Injuries are never pleasant. While Martinelli might have been concerned about time-wasting, he should have been aware enough to recognize the gravity of the situation. It goes beyond mere disrespect.”
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta defended Martinelli, praising his character and wishing Bradley a speedy recovery. “Knowing Gabi, he’s genuinely a great person. I hope Conor is okay, and I will speak to Martinelli about this situation,” Arteta stated.