The backlash to Gabriel Martinelli's shove on Conor Bradley has taken an unexpected twist.
Arsenal forward Martinelli sparked outrage during the 0-0 draw with Liverpool on Thursday night for pushing Bradley off the pitch to receive treatment on a knee injury.
Gabriel Martinelli shown yellow card against Liverpool
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The Liverpool players were furious with Martinelli for his shove on the injured BradleyCredit: Getty
As it turned out, the Reds full-back had a serious injury
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As it turned out, the Reds full-back had a serious injuryCredit: AFP
The Liverpool defender went down injured in the last minute of stoppage time and Martinelli thought he was time-wasting by staying within the lines.
However, Bradley ended up leaving the pitch on a stretcher before being pictured on crutches with a knee brace.
Having realised the severity of the injury, Martinelli reached out to his opponent and took to social media issuing an apology - but much of the damage was already done.
talkSPORT host Jason Cundy branded his behaviour 'classless', while Manchester United legend Gary Neville called the Gunners forward an 'idiot' and a 'disgrace'.
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Martinelli clip resurfaces
A clip of Martinelli that has resurfaced from December 2021 will not do him any favours.
During a Premier League match against West Ham, the Gunners were leading 1-0 thanks to a Martinelli goal when the forward went down with cramp near the dugout in the 81st minute.
With the Hammers down to ten men and pushing for an equaliser, manager Mikel Arteta ordered Martinelli to walk back onto the pitch and go back down for treatment.
It prevented Arsenal from being forced to play with ten men and gave Arteta's team a breather, before Emile Smith Rowe added a second to secure a 2-0 win.
Posting the clip on social media platform X, where it went viral, one fan simply said: "Double standards."
Martinelli defended
Gunners legend Ray Parlour insisted on the talkSPORT Breakfast Show that Martinelli will be devastated by what happened.
Gabriel Martinelli and Conor Bradley.
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The incident became the talking point of an uneventful game as Arsenal went six points clear at the topCredit: Getty
"He's not a bad lad and he's not that sort of guy," Parlour said.
"He didn't realise how badly he's done his knee there and hopefully the most important thing is Bradley's okay. Let's hope he's not that serious as it could look.
"But he [Martinelli] will be devastated this morning and I'm really pleased he's apologised right away to him.
"That's the first thing you do. In the heat of the moment, people make mistakes and Martinelli certainly made a big mistake there."
And manager Arteta also leapt to his player's defence.
"Probably he doesn't know because knowing Gabi, there is zero intention.
"I don't know what happened to Conor, but hopefully it's not bad, but obviously, there is no intention from Gabi to do anything bad to him."