Jamie Carragher disagreed with Roy Keane's analysis of Manchester City's winning goal in the team's 2-1 victory over Arsenal, defending Gabriel Martinelli's pressing tactics as a brave and calculated risk
Felix Keith
12:47, 21 Apr 2026
Jamie Carragher has defended Gabriel Martinelli
Jamie Carragher has defended Gabriel Martinelli(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has mounted a spirited defense of Gabriel Martinelli after criticism from Roy Keane regarding the Arsenal forward's role in Manchester City's decisive goal on Sunday.
Erling Haaland netted the winner in the second half as City triumphed 2-1 over its Premier League title rival, with Carragher offering a different perspective on the goal. City's crucial strike arrived when Gianluigi Donnarumma distributed the ball to left-back Nico O'Reilly, who advanced into considerable space.
Moments later, Haaland tussled with Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes before firing a left-footed effort beyond David Raya from O'Reilly's cross. Sky Sports' post-match dissection of the goal centered on Martinelli's choice to advance and press Marc Guehi, who had drifted to the left of City's penalty area to provide his goalkeeper with an outlet.
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Donnarumma identified the available space and bypassed Arsenal's press with his distribution to O'Reilly. "Martinelli helps the goalkeeper make a decision by pressing too early; they're not really set," ex-Manchester United midfielder Keane said on Sky Sports.
"They don't need to go chasing the game. This is where your mentality and decision-making as experienced players."
He added: "I'd be putting this more on Arsenal. Credit to O'Reilly — he's an attack-minded player and his form is outstanding, and defensively, he was brilliant today.
Martinelli and Arsenal lost at Manchester City on Sunday
Martinelli and Arsenal lost at Manchester City on Sunday(Image: Getty Images)
"But Martinelli doesn't have to press there! He doesn't have to press! And if anything, it encourages the goalkeeper to throw it out."
Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira then remarked: "I completely agree with you. I think when you're looking at Donnarumma with the ball in his hands, there was a huge space between the Arsenal back four and the front players. There's a huge space — Arsenal weren't set and weren't ready to go and put pressure."
Carragher, however, offered a contrasting perspective. During Monday Night Football, he highlighted the calculated gamble inherent in Arsenal's high-pressing approach at the Etihad Stadium, noting that Martinelli's earlier press had created a golden opportunity for Kai Havertz moments earlier. "This is really important in terms of the winning goal," Carragher said.
"Where I've said they were brave, Arsenal, is in the press, high pressing. But if you're going to high press, you've got to accept that, at times, you're going to get caught out, because the whole point of pressing is that you win the ball up high and you've got a great chance going forward. If you get caught out, then you're going to leave something behind.
"There's been a lot of criticism around Martinelli on the winning goal. I think it's harsh, and I'll tell you why. If you're going to take the chance to press, you've got to take the rough with the smooth."
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Analyzing footage of Martinelli winning possession and initiating an Arsenal counter-attack, which resulted in Havertz being thwarted by Donnarumma in a one-on-one situation, he explained: "The idea at the start of the game is to be aggressive and to press high.
"He presses here, and that ball is on to leave (Cristhian) Mosquera in a two-v-one. That's the chance you take when you press high.
"The pass (for City) was on, but he (Martinelli) now wins a tackle. That tackle leads to Arsenal having a chance at 1-1 to go 2-1 up. That wins them the league. If that chance goes in, the league is won. So Martinelli is taking the chance to go and win Arsenal the league."