Gabriel Martinelli has come under heavy criticism for an unpleasant incident involving Conor Bradley in the final moments of Liverpool’s 0-0 draw with Arsenal
09:45, 09 Jan 2026Updated 09:47, 09 Jan 2026
Jurgen Klopp’s true feelings about under-fire Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli are clear(Image: Getty)
Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli has been blasted by fans and pundits alike for how he interacted with stricken Liverpool defender Conor Bradley late in their sides’ 0-0 draw. But the Brazilian was always held in incredibly high regard by ex-Reds boss Jurgen Klopp.
The Gunners hosted the reigning champions on Thursday evening and the match was a cagey one. As the game reached injury time, the ball was pumped into Liverpool’s half and defender Bradley cleared it out of play. But as he did, the 22-year-old appeared to twist his knee after landing awkwardly.
Bradley fell to the floor in agony, just edging onto the field. Martinelli, who was chasing down the defender before his clearance, was stopped from taking a throw-in and evidently felt wronged. The Brazilian winger dropped the ball onto Bradley before shoving him off the pitch.
This sparked a brawl between both teams before Bradley was stretchered off. Martinelli received a yellow card for this act but fans and pundits have torn him to shreds for how he treated Bradley. This comes six years after the 24-year-old was being hailed as a generational talent by former Liverpool boss Klopp.
Back in 2019, Arsenal and Liverpool met in a blockbuster Carabao Cup fourth-round tie. This match ended 5-5 before Klopp’s team progressed via penalty shootout.
READ MORE: Roy Keane pulls no punches with verdict on Gabriel Martinelli: “Absolute disgrace”READ MORE: Conor Bradley injury update as Arne Slot responds to furious Arsenal row
Martinelli bagged two first-half goals in this cup loss as he faced up against now-Brentford defender Sepp van den Berg. Speaking after this match, Klopp had nothing but praise for the opposition.
“He (Van den Berg) played an incredible game,” Klopp told Liverpool’s club website. “That’s really difficult to deal with these guys. Martinelli’s pretty much the same age but he’s a talent of the century. He’s an incredible striker, so it’s really difficult.
Martinelli’s shove incited a brawl between players(Image: Getty)
“Then you have Mesut Ozil around and (Joe) Willock right, who scored by the way a really nice one, so a team like Arsenal in a counter-attacking mood – we keep them deep, play around them, we lose the ball and then it’s really difficult.”
Fast forward seven years and Martinelli is likely not in the good books of the Reds. But current manager Arne Slot was incredibly diplomatic when asked about the unsavoury incident.
He said: “I don’t know Gabriel Martinelli, but he comes across as a nice guy. 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.”
Martinelli later apologised on social media for how he acted towards Bradley, with the Northern Irishman seemingly suffering a serious injury. He wrote on Instagram: “Conor and I have messaged and I’ve already apologised to him.
“I really didn’t understand he was seriously injured in the heat of the moment. I want to say I’m deeply sorry for the reaction. Sending Conor all my best again for a quick recovery.”
Bradley was stretchered off in injury time(Image: Getty)
But former Manchester United star Roy Keane pulled no punches in his post-match analysis for Sky Sports, dubbing Martinelli disgraceful. He said: “It’s not good. We know football, the player is a good lad.
“Throwing the ball at him, standing over him and getting a little knee on him. He tries to force him off. That behaviour is an absolute disgrace. Not good stuff that.”
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