Arsenal were awarded a controversial late penalty at Bayer Leverkusen and ex-Gunner Martin Keown has copped criticism for being so adamant about the referee's decision
TNT Sports presenter Martin Keown during the Premier League match between Brentford and Arsenal at Gtech Community Stadium on February 12, 2026 in Brentford, United Kingdom
(Image: Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
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Simon Jordan has hammered Martin Keown for being a "grand frommage of bias" after being adamant Arsenal's penalty at Bayer Leverkusen wasn't in doubt.
The Premier League leaders rescued a draw in the first-leg of their Champions League clash. Kai Havertz scored in the 89th minute, but the decision to award the spot kick proved hugely divisive.
Noni Madueke had appeared off the bench and went down in the box, albeit there looked to be minimal contact. The winger took an extra step before going down, leaving the Leverkusen players remonstrating with the referee, but VAR would back up his decision.
Keown, who played 422 times for the Gunners, was in no doubt that the right call was made. He said on TNT Sports: "For me it was a penalty. You had to see it from different angles first but for me, that left foot definitely gets trapped in from the torso of (Tillman). There's no doubt about that."
Jordan was quick to call out the ex-Arsenal man on social media and said: "Oh dear Martin ffs. Did I say that old Keown lacks objectivity. f**k me backwards, he is the grand frommage of bias."
Jordan's fellow talkSPORT host Gabby Agbonlahor also hammered Keown for his narrow minded remarks, saying: "Madueke dived. Blatant dive. Mr bias, Martin Keown, doing the game last night said it was a definite penalty. It's getting a bit silly now his bias towards Arsenal. I'm just surprised VAR didn't overturn it. Arsenal were very lucky and boring to watch."
TNT Sports Presenter Lynsey Hipgrave tried to challenge Keown's ability to be objective about his former side and said: "If that was given against Arsenal though, what would you be thinking?"
LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY - MARCH 11: Noni Madueke of Arsenal is fouled by Malik Tillman of Bayer 04 Leverkusen for a penalty kick during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Arsenal FC at BayArena on March 11, 2026 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/Getty Images)
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Keown replied: "You're turning things around though. It wasn't Lynsey. It wasn't a penalty given against Arsenal." The defender then added: "What I will say is that VAR won't go against that if there's any kind of contact and we can see there that there was contact."
Mikel Arteta praised Madueke for his impact after replacing Bukayo Saka - with the draw leaving Arsenal as favourites ahead of next week's second-leg.
"I'm not surprised at all because that's his biggest quality," said the Arsenal boss. "He's very brave at doing that and he’s a real threat so to have a player with that ability when we need him and to step in in the manner that he did, big credit to him."