A contentious moment marred the Premier League clash between Arsenal and Liverpool, which ended in a 0-0 draw on Thursday, January 8, 2026. In the closing stages of the game, Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli controversially shoved Liverpool defender Conor Bradley, who had gone down with a serious knee injury. Bradley was visibly in distress, necessitating a stretcher to leave the pitch and was later seen departing the stadium on crutches and wearing a supportive knee brace, with Liverpool manager Arne Slot expressing concerns about a potentially long lay-off. The incident drew widespread condemnation from football pundits. Former Manchester United captains Gary Neville and Roy Keane were particularly vocal, with Neville branding Martinelli's conduct 'disgraceful' and Keane calling him an 'idiot'. In response to the backlash, Martinelli promptly issued a public apology via Instagram. He stated that he did not realize Bradley was seriously injured 'in the heat of the moment' and expressed deep regret for his reaction. Both club managers weighed in on the incident. Arsenal's Mikel Arteta defended his player, describing Martinelli as an 'incredibly lovely guy' who likely 'didn't realise what happened.' Liverpool's Arne Slot, while initially unhappy with the conduct, also offered a degree of understanding, attributing it partly to the prevalent issue of time-wasting in football. He added that he was '100 percent sure' Martinelli would not have acted that way had he known the severity of Bradley's injury. The Football Association is not expected to take further retrospective action as the referee booked Martinelli during the match. The incident became a significant talking point, overshadowing a crucial goalless draw in the Premier League title race.