Conor Bradley leaves Emirates on crutches after Martinelli ‘disgraceful’ incident

In the closing minutes of the Arsenal-Liverpool match, with the score still 0-0, both sides were pushing for a late winner. Bradley suddenly went down after slipping and rolling his knee. The Northern Ireland international appeared to be in significant discomfort as he received treatment on the pitch.

With Arsenal eager to restart play, Martinelli tried to move Bradley towards the touchline. The action immediately angered Liverpool players, who confronted the Brazilian winger and pushed him away.

Bradley was eventually substituted, with Joe Gomez coming on in his place, and the match ended shortly afterwards in a draw. Following the game, Bradley was seen leaving the Emirates Stadium on crutches. While Liverpool have yet to confirm the severity of the injury, the defender is expected to miss several matches and is unlikely to feature against Barnsley on 13 January.

The incident sparked widespread reaction after the match. On social media, Martinelli faced heavy criticism. Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville expressed his anger on Sky Sports, saying: “You can’t push him off the pitch. You cannot do that.

“That is so poor, I think an apology is needed. Bradley is being stretchered off. I’m fuming with Martinelli, to be honest. Disgraceful.”

From Liverpool’s side, head coach Arne Slot played down the incident. The Dutch manager suggested the situation reflected broader frustration in football over time-wasting late in matches, which can lead players to question whether opponents are genuinely injured.

Martinelli later confirmed that he had apologised to Bradley, explaining that he did not realise the Liverpool defender was seriously injured at the time. He also sent his best wishes to Bradley for a swift recovery.

Following the draw, Liverpool remain fourth in the Premier League with 35 points, eight behind third-placed Aston Villa. Arsenal missed the chance to extend their lead over Manchester City to eight points and now sit six points clear at the top.