Steven Gerrard ensured that former Arsenal defender Martin Keown acknowledged Mikel Arteta's touchline behaviour, as the former Gunners defender pointed out Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone's efforts to influence the match officials during the Champions League semi-final encounter. The pair were providing analysis at the Wanda Metropolitano after Arsenal and Atleti battled to a 1-1 draw in their first leg.
The fixture was not without its drama as Arsenal saw a penalty reversed that would have given them a chance to take a 2-1 lead back to the Emirates. Both Gerrard and Keown condemned the conduct of Simeone and his coaching team as the referee reconsidered his initial verdict at the VAR monitor. The duo wanted the official to trust his judgement, but emphasised the tactics on show from the Argentine manager during those moments.
"I think we need to see more of that across the board, referees have to have the bravery when they go there, they've made a decision and when they've seen it with their own eyes, they need the bravery to stick with their own decision because it wasn't a clear and obvious mistake," Gerrard explained.
"Everyone knows that, there was an impact from the bench, they're brilliant at that - Martin won't like it - but it's gamesmanship. Before the referees looked at the screen, Simeone is in his face, waving his arms then he's in his ear, it's a performance, he's the best at doing it."
Keown clearly agreed. "He orchestrates the crowd. He does that as well, he creates a drama, the way he's running around."
Yet Gerrard was unwilling to let his fellow pundit off the hook, given his well-known allegiances. The former Liverpool captain was swift to highlight that Arsenal are no strangers to such theatrics themselves.
"Arteta does that as well in the Premier League, Arteta does that as well," said Gerrard. "Yeah but not with the same sort of success. This guy (Simeone) is the master," came the reply from Keown.
"Yeah but Martin we're not talking about their stats, we're talking about Arsenal," Gerrard began before Keown interrupted: "But Simeone is ahead of everybody.
"Both their managers will need a lie down they never stopped," quipped Gerrard. Keown added: "It'd be interesting to have a tracker to see the amount of distance."
Steve McManaman was also on punditry duty for TNT Sports and launched a sharp criticism of Simeone's conduct. "We could see, sometimes the cameras wouldn't show it with the Spanish directors, but we could see what was going on.
"His behaviour, his number two and three with the officials was terrible. Absolutely awful. He'd change his mind, his performance was terrible that's why people don't like the dark arts (or) Atletico Madrid."