Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli has apologised to Liverpool defender Conor Bradley after shoving him off the pitch while he was injured during Thursday’s 0–0 Premier League draw at the Emirates.

The incident, which occurred late in the game, saw Martinelli drop the ball on Bradley as he lay on the turf before attempting to push him off the field so the match could quickly resume. Bradley, 22, was forced to leave the stadium on crutches with a supportive knee brace.

Martinelli was shown a yellow card but was not sent off, prompting strong reactions from Liverpool players and pundits alike. Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane described the incident as “a disgrace” on Sky Sports.

In response to the backlash, Martinelli took to Instagram, writing:
“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 reacting. Sending Conor all my best again for a quick recovery.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta defended his player, describing Martinelli as “an incredible, lovely guy” and insisting that he would not have acted differently had he known the severity of Bradley’s injury. Liverpool boss Arne Slot shared a similar view, saying:
“I fear the worst for Conor Bradley. I don’t know yet, but he had to go off on a stretcher. We’ll have to wait on the scans to see how bad it is. You cannot expect Martinelli to think so clearly in the 94th minute. I’m 100 percent sure that if he knew the injury might be serious, he would never do that.”

On the pitch, Arsenal failed to score at home for the first time this season, but the draw was enough to extend their lead over second-placed Manchester City to six points.