Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has publicly praised his Liverpool counterpart, Arne Slot, for his measured response following the controversial incident involving Gabriel Martinelli and Conor Bradley that resulted in a season-ending injury for the Reds defender.
The Incident and Its Aftermath
The flashpoint occurred during Thursday's tense goalless Premier League draw at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli was widely criticised for his actions, which involved throwing the ball at Liverpool's Conor Bradley and then attempting to push him off the pitch.
The severity of the situation became clear on Sunday when Liverpool confirmed the full-back would miss the remainder of the campaign. Bradley sustained significant damage to ligaments and bone in his knee during the clash with the Gunners and is set for surgery in the coming days. The club confirmed the injury was not an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) issue.
Slot's Unusual Defence and Arteta's Gratitude
While pundits like Gary Neville and Roy Keane were highly critical of Martinelli, Liverpool manager Arne Slot took a different tack. He suggested the wider issue of time-wasting in football may have contributed to the moment, offering a defence of the Arsenal player's intent.
Speaking after Martinelli scored a hat-trick in Arsenal's 4-1 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Portsmouth, Arteta made a point of thanking Slot for his perspective. "I must say I think the way Arne Slot spoke after the game was brilliant," Arteta told TNT Sport. "Because he knows how the players feel about themselves, about the opposition and about their colleagues. I think it exemplifies someone who knows the game really well."
The Spaniard emphasised that there was "no intention whatsoever to damage a player" from Martinelli and praised Slot for helping others understand the context of on-pitch reactions.
Martinelli's Response and Team Support
Arteta also highlighted Martinelli's strong character in bouncing back from the controversy, stating that to play for a big club requires a "big personality" to handle such incidents. "Today he scored three goals, tomorrow he’s going to train a hundred miles an hour, for sure. He's not going to change that, that's Gabi," Arteta said.
The Brazilian forward received further backing from within the Arsenal dressing room. Teammate Mikel Merino said: "We are really happy for him, he's a great guy. Everyone that knows him knows he's a really kind kid... It's just a small mistake, and he said sorry, and the matter ends there."
The incident, while unfortunate, has sparked a notable display of managerial solidarity, with Arteta's commendation of Slot underscoring a mutual understanding of the high-pressure environment in top-flight football.
