Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has revealed the FA’s most likely decision on whether Gabriel Martinelli will face further punishment following his actions against Conor Bradley during Arsenal’s 0-0 draw with Liverpool on Thursday night. The Premier League leaders were visibly frustrated under the lights at the Emirates Stadium, and that became particularly apparent in added time.
The worst-case scenario is now feared for Bradley after he appeared to injure his knee before going down by the touchline. The Northern Ireland international is no stranger to long-term injuries, but despite the seriousness of the situation, Martinelli threw the ball at him and aggressively tried to push him off the pitch, so play could continue.
The incident looked even worse when the Liverpool defender was stretchered off, and Martinelli has since released a statement following the backlash he received at full-time. Despite the apology, many are still questioning whether retrospective action should be taken after he was shown only a yellow card.
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Keith Hackett Assesses Martinelli’s Retrospective Ban Prospects
Gabriel Martinelli
Gabriel Martinelli
“It was evident that the Liverpool player [Conor Bradley] was seriously injured. The actions of Martinelli were frankly disgraceful, and for me, deserved a red card,” Hackett, who is also a former FIFA referee, told Football Insider. But while he thinks the Brazilian should have seen harsher punishment, he can't see a situation where the FA steps in to rule otherwise. He added (watch the incident below):
“His actions endangered the safety of his opponent. When a player is injured, and this was serious, it is so important that trained medics assess the player quickly and determine how to deal with the injured player. Referee Anthony Taylor, who officiated well throughout this encounter by his prompt action of showing a quick yellow, helped to diffuse the flare-up.
“I want the authorities to review this incident with a view to upgrading Taylor’s yellow card. I do not expect the football authorities to take any further action, but I would be happy if they did.”
The FA typically takes retrospective action for serious incidents that are not fully seen by match officials at the time, as well as for various off-field or administrative breaches. A recent example came in February 2025, when Milutin Osmajic was handed a nine-match ban for racially abusing Hannibal Mejbri.
Given the severity of that incident compared to Thursday night’s events, it is unlikely the FA will place significant focus on whether Martinelli should face further punishment. This is especially the case as the referee clearly saw what happened, acted quickly to caution the winger, and diffused the situation before it escalated.
Martinelli Apologises With Statement Amid Backlash
gabriel martinelli
Another consideration the FA might make is how Martinelli righted some of his wrongs with a public apology to Bradley on social media later in the night. The Brazil international recognised his wrongdoing and wrote on his Instagram story (see below):
"Conor and I have messaged, and I have already apologised to him. I really didn't understand he was seriously injured in the heat of the moment. I want to say I'm deeply sorry for reacting. Sending Conor all my best again for a quick recovery."
Thursday’s result means Arsenal remain six points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who drew 1-1 with Brighton on Wednesday, after 21 matches. Meanwhile, reigning champions Liverpool currently sit fourth in the table, 14 points behind the league leaders.