Arsenal - Paul Merson
Image credit: Getty Images
Arsenal legend Paul Merson has criticised Gabriel Martinelli following the Gunners’ frustrating 1-1 draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday.
Arsenal fell behind early, but William Saliba’s second-half goal restored parity. However, the drama unfolded late when Bukayo Saka appeared to snatch a winner in the 89th minute, only for VAR to disallow the goal due to Martinelli being marginally offside in the buildup.
Speaking onSky Sports, Merson expressed his frustration with Martinelli’s positioning. “He is offside, but in footballing terms, that’s criminal from Martinelli,” he said. “You’re looking along the line. He’s got pace, he’s electric, so he’s not someone trying to nick a yard and play right on the edge.
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“I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get a word from the manager in the dressing room because he even knows. You could see it on his face afterward—he knows you can’t do that. The one thing you need to do when looking along the line is simple: do not be offside.”
Gabriel Martinelli
Gabriel Martinelli (Image credit: Getty Images)
Merson also weighed in on the implications of the result for Arsenal’s title challenge, as they now trail league leaders Liverpool by six points. “It’s not a good result; it’s two points dropped,” he said. “They were just hitting a bit of form, and the disallowed goal was a nightmare.
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“If you want to win Premier League titles, you have to win at places like Craven Cottage. Liverpool now have a game in hand, and that gives them a big advantage.”
The Gunners have little time to dwell on the setback as they prepare for a Champions League clash at home against Monaco on Wednesday. Their next Premier League fixture is on Saturday when they host Everton at the Emirates Stadium.
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