Liverpool manager Arne Slot described Gabriel Martinelli as a “nice guy” and defended the Arsenal winger after he tried to push the injured Conor Bradley off the pitch.
Northern Ireland international Bradley landed awkwardly near the touchline when chasing the ball in stoppage time of Thursday’s 0-0 Premier League draw, falling to the ground and immediately clutching his knee.
Martinelli then dropped the ball on the Liverpool defender before shoving him in the back in an attempt to get him off the playing surface to allow the game to continue.
That action sparked a melee between the two sets of players, with Martinelli and Ibrahima Konate both yellow-carded for their parts in it.
After receiving treatment, Bradley was taken away on a stretcher and was later seen leaving Emirates Stadium on crutches and with a knee brace.
Former Manchester United players Gary Neville and Roy Keane were both highly critical of Martinelli, with Neville describing him as an “idiot”, but Slot said the wider issue of time-wasting in football may have led to the flashpoint.
“I don’t know Gabriel Martinelli, but he comes across as a nice guy,” said Slot.
“I think the problem for him – and it’s a problem in general in football – is that there is so much time-wasting and players pretending that they are injured in the final parts of the game and during the game, that you can sometimes be annoyed if you want to try to score a goal that you think the player is time-wasting.
“You cannot ask Martinelli to think so clear in the 94th minute.”
Martinelli later issued an apology on social media, saying the two players had been in contact and he had already said sorry.
“I really didn’t understand he was seriously injured in the heat of the moment,” Martinelli posted on Instagram.
“I want to say I’m deeply sorry for reacting. Sending Conor all my best again for a quick recovery.”