Liverpool FC Writer, Josh Holland Sport Central Audience Writer, Matty HewittFootball Writer, Matthew Abbott, Bruna Reis and Connor O’Neill Sport Central Content Editor09:54, 09 Jan 2026
View 2 ImagesGabriel Martinelli is shown a yellow card after moving Conor Bradley off the pitch(Image: (John Walton/PA Wire))
Gabriel Martinelli caused a storm after he shoved an injured Conor Bradley off the pitch in stoppage time of Arsenal’s 0-0 draw with Liverpool. Martinelli threw the ball at the defender and manhandled him as he lay on the turf in the closing stages of Thursday’s 0-0 draw in the capital.
The 22-year-old left the Emirates Stadium on crutches and wearing a supportive brace on his left knee. Martinelli was booked for the flashpoint, which provoked anger from Liverpool’s players.
Gary Neville labelled Martinelli an ‘idiot’, while former Manchester United captain Roy Keane called the attacker ‘a disgrace’. The FA have already been told to punish the Arsenal man, and our writers have given their view on what should happen to the Brazil international.
Matthew Abbott
Martinelli’s prompt apology changes things for me. Considering that he looks away to follow the ball that Bradley clears out of play when his ankle gives way, I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
He’s not the first player to do something daft in the heat of the moment, and he won’t be the last. No further action is necessary now that Martinelli has made amends with a public apology and a personal one to Bradley himself.
Josh Holland
For me, an apology doesn’t change anything. It’s an easy decision. Martinelli may not have known that Bradley was injured, but to act like that is unsportsmanlike. If it were a player with a leg break and Martinelli did what he did, he would be punished.
No matter the stage of the game, you can’t do things like that. No severe punishment is needed, but a fine or some minor ‘telling off’ has to be a benchmark. As I said, apologising doesn’t mean it’s OK.
Connor O’Neill
Gabriel Martinelli might have apologised – but that doesn’t mean that the FA shouldn’t still act. Quite simply, the Arsenal man should be banned for at least one game for what he did to Liverpool’s Conor Bradley.
Everton defender Michael Keane was contentiously sent off on Wednesday night, after a review by VAR, for pulling the hair of Wolves forward Tolu Arokodare in an aerial challenge. Now, if that is a sending off, then there is simply no excuse, or no mitigation, for what Martinelli did.
As Ian Doyle rightly said in his analysis piece for the ECHO, there’s a line, and Martinelli crossed it. He was fortunate to not be sent off.
Matty Hewitt
I think Arne Slot hits the nail on the head with his post-match comments. What Martinelli did was shameful, but at the same time, had he known the extent of Bradley’s injury, he certainly wouldn’t have done it.
As the Liverpool boss says, there’s far too much time wasting and play-acting, but there should be some sort of punishment akin to a red card. I think the officials got that decision wrong on the pitch.
View 2 ImagesLiverpool head coach Arne Slot and midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai.(Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Bruna Reis
Martinelli was clearly wrong in his actions, and there’s no real defence for shoving a player who was visibly in distress. While I don’t condone what he did, it’s also important to acknowledge that in the intensity of a Premier League match, players can become so focused on the job at hand that they overlook the more important things.
That doesn’t excuse the behaviour, but we’ve seen countless occasions where players go down to slow the game or buy a stoppage, so it wouldn’t be entirely unreasonable if Martinelli initially assumed Bradley was doing the same. Slot summed it up well in his post‑match comments, suggesting Martinelli likely wouldn’t have reacted that way had he realised the true extent of the injury.
Even so, and despite his apology, I still believe the Brazilian should face a ban. In my view, Anthony Taylor should have sent him off at the time, and a retrospective suspension would reflect the seriousness of the incident without overstating it.
Theo Squires
Gabriel Martinelli really should know better. He’s suffered a serious knee injury himself in his career, making his behaviour towards Conor Bradley even more despicable.
Yes, it is the heat of battle in a Premier League title race. But that does not mean human decency goes out the window. Bradley has gone down with a serious knee injury that could rule him out for the season.
Even if you think he’s feigning injury, Martinelli’s reaction was totally out of order.
There is no excuse. He should face further action from the FA. But whether he will is a different matter entirely.
The Brazilian has publicly apologised to the Liverpool man, while both Arne Slot and Mikel Arteta played down the incident after the final whistle.
When you also take into consideration that Anthony Taylor did see Martinelli’s actions and booked him, that is usually enough for the FA to insist they cannot intervene.
The response from the Liverpool dressing room, and Bradley himself, will likely play a decisive role in whether this is brushed quietly under the carpet or not.
Either way, Martinelli will not be a popular man the next time he locks horns with the Reds and pays a visit to Anfield. Liverpool might forgive, but they will not forget.