Arsenal supporters have harshly criticized Gary Neville, labeling him ‘a disgrace,’ after he expressed astonishment that Liverpool’s squad didn’t retaliate more aggressively against Gabriel Martinelli following his contentious push on an injured Conor Bradley.

During the final moments of Thursday’s goalless draw at the Emirates, Martinelli, the Gunners’ winger, incited anger by attempting to physically remove Bradley from the field, despite the Northern Irish player appearing to be in considerable distress.

Initially, Martinelli dropped the ball onto Bradley and signaled the referees to remove the defender. When that didn’t happen, he took matters into his own hands, pushing the 22-year-old off the pitch.

Former Manchester United captain Neville expressed his surprise that Liverpool’s players didn’t retaliate more forcefully.

“I am actually fuming with Martinelli. I don’t understand how the Liverpool players didn’t confront him more aggressively and risk a red card. Absolutely disgraceful, that,” Neville remarked.

Gary Neville said he was surprised no Liverpool players gave Gabriel Martinelli a ‘whack’

Martinelli shoved injured Conor Bradley off the pitch during Arsenal’s match against Liverpool

He further suggested that the Brazilian, whom he called an ‘idiot,’ should personally apologize to Bradley. Subsequently, Martinelli issued an apology mere hours after the match ended.

‘Conor and I have messaged and I’ve already apologised to him,’ the Arsenal winger’s statement on Instagram read. ‘I really didn’t understand he was 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.’ 

Despite it appearing to be handled amicably once tensions had cooled, Arsenal fans online were left seething at Neville’s comments.

One popular Arsenal fan account wrote on X: ‘Gary Neville is a disgrace by the way, a commentator that was supposed to he neutral calling for Liverpool players to whack Martinelli. Absolute scum.’

Another said: ‘You are now seeing the REAL Gary Neville. Not the pundit but him as a human being. One who hates Arsenal, and has his whole career… 

‘Sure Martinelli’s actions were not good but to advocate for violence on the pitch is nothing short of a disgrace.’

A third penned: ‘Neville is a disgrace for saying that on the TV during the match. Imagine kids watching the match and hear him say something like that.’

Neville was not the only Sky Sports pundit to criticise Martinelli for his actions, however, as Roy Keane referenced his clash with Alf-Inge Haaland, who appeared to question the then-United captain’s injury when had snapped his cruciate ligament.

‘I didn’t like it. It happened to me once before when I was badly injured with a player stood over me,’ Keane said on Sky.

‘It’s not good. We know football and reactions. He has thrown the ball at him, stood over him and got a little knee in the head. He is trying to force him off, and I am surprised the Liverpool players didn’t go after Martinelli a little bit more.

‘That behaviour is an absolute disgrace. He is a good boy to roll around himself. Hopefully Martinelli will have a good look at it and apologise.’

Former Liverpool forward Daniel Sturridge also said it was ‘worse than disrespectful’.

Martinelli appeared not to believe Bradley was injured – but Arne Slot says he ‘fears the worst’

‘It’s disappointing to be honest,’ he said. ‘There is passion and being a winner, wanting to help your team-mates, but you have to be respectful as a football player.

‘With moments in the game, especially with injuries, you need to be self-aware enough to know the guy is down, you have been there before and it is worse than disrespectful.’

Arne Slot admitted he ‘fears the worst’ for Bradley, who left north London on crutches and in a knee brace after landing awkwardly at the end of the gam

‘I think if a player of ours is on the floor, people might know by now that 100 out of 100 times there is something wrong with the player,’ the Liverpool boss said.

‘You don’t like to see a player moved if he might have such a big injury. We don’t know yet.’

He added: ‘I am afraid another injury have come up today. Let’s hope for the best but I fear the worst for Conor Bradley.’

Slot, however, was keen to give Martinelli the benefit of the doubt.

‘I’m 100 per cent sure that if he knew what the injury might be that he would never do (what he did),’ he said. B’ut it doesn’t look great if he has the injury which we fear he might have.

‘I don’t know Gabriel Martinelli but he comes across as a nice guy. I think the problem for him is that there is so much time-wasting and players pretending they are injured in the final parts of the game, that you can then sometimes be annoyed if you think a player is time-wasting.’

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta added: ‘Knowing Gabi, if anyone knows Gabi he is an incredibly lovely guy. Probably he didn’t recognise what happened. I hope that Conor is well, I will have a word with him.

‘I have to really praise the team, the players and the individual for what they have done (in the game). The boys deserve my credit.’