Liverpool manager Arne Slot referred to Gabriel Martinelli as a “nice guy” and defended the Arsenal winger following an incident in which Martinelli attempted to push the injured Conor Bradley off the pitch.
Bradley, a Northern Ireland international, fell awkwardly while pursuing the ball in stoppage time during Thursday’s scoreless Premier League draw, landing on the ground and immediately grabbing his knee.
In a bid to resume the match, Martinelli dropped the ball near Bradley and pushed him from behind, aiming to move him off the playing field.
This action led to a scuffle between both teams, resulting in yellow cards for Martinelli and Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate.
After receiving medical attention, Bradley was carried off on a stretcher and later seen leaving the Emirates Stadium with crutches and a knee brace.
Former Manchester United players Gary Neville and Roy Keane criticized Martinelli’s actions, with Neville calling him an “idiot.” However, Slot emphasized that time-wasting in football often incites such reactions.
“I don’t know Gabriel Martinelli personally, but he seems like a nice guy,” said Slot. “The larger issue is the prevalence of time-wasting and players feigning injuries late in games, which can make it frustrating for those trying to score. It’s understandable if Martinelli reacted without clear thought in that moment.”
Martinelli later took to social media to apologize, indicating that he had reached out to Bradley and expressed his regret.
“I didn’t realize he was seriously hurt in the heat of the moment,” Martinelli wrote on Instagram. “I sincerely apologize for my reaction and wish Conor a speedy recovery.”
While the severity of Bradley’s injury remains uncertain, Slot expressed concern that it could be serious and suggested that if Martinelli had known, he would have acted differently. “I’m certain that had he been aware of the injury’s potential severity, he would never have done that,” Slot remarked. “But time-wasting and diving are prevalent issues in football, and I can understand why Martinelli might have perceived this as time-wasting.”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, whose team currently leads the league by six points over Manchester City and Aston Villa, called Martinelli an “incredible, lovely guy” and reiterated Slot’s perspective that Martinelli likely did not grasp the severity of Bradley’s situation. “I don’t know how serious Conor’s injury is, but I hope it’s not too bad,” Arteta said. “There was no malicious intent from Gabi.”
Bradley’s teammate, Dominik Szoboszlai, mentioned that Bradley was in such pain that he “didn’t want to return to the pitch for time-wasting,” and that he was not even aware of his surroundings before Martinelli pushed him. “We all want to win, but a player’s health is far more important than anything else,” Szoboszlai added.
‘I didn’t like it, I didn’t like it at all’
Neville, who provided commentary during the match, expressed his outrage at Martinelli’s actions. “You can’t push him off the pitch,” he said. “That’s completely unacceptable, you idiot.”
He continued, “I’m surprised the Liverpool players didn’t confront him more. I think an apology is warranted. Honestly, I don’t know how they didn’t respond more forcefully.”
Neville also stated, “I believe football players are generally good individuals. Martinelli probably thought he was trying to counteract time-wasting, but that was clearly a reckless reaction.”
Keane supported Neville’s sentiments post-match, calling Martinelli’s conduct a “disgrace” and “not acceptable.” “I didn’t like it, I didn’t like it at all,” Keane remarked. “I’m surprised the Liverpool players didn’t take more action against Martinelli. You can’t push a player off the pitch without knowing the extent of their injury. That behavior is unacceptable.”