Martin Keown Hits Back at Gary Neville Over Gabriel Martinelli Criticism

Martin Keown defends Gabriel Martinelli after Gary Neville harsh criticism, accusing the pundit of exaggeration during Arsenal’s draw with Liverpool.

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has launched a sharp rebuttal of Gary Neville after the Sky Sports pundit delivered fierce criticism of Gabriel Martinelli during Arsenal’s goalless draw with Liverpool.

The incident occurred late in the Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium on January 8, where tempers flared following a stoppage-time injury to Liverpool defender Conor Bradley. Neville’s reaction dominated post-match discussion — but Keown believes the commentary crossed the line.

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The match itself struggled for quality, producing few clear chances and ending 0-0. However, the key talking point arrived in stoppage time when Bradley went down holding his knee after putting the ball out of play.

Martinelli, believing Liverpool were delaying the restart, threw the ball towards Bradley and attempted to usher him off the pitch. Moments later, medical staff confirmed the injury was serious. Bradley was stretchered off and later ruled out for the season after requiring knee surgery.

Gary Neville’s Reaction Draws Widespread Attention

Neville did not hold back on live commentary, branding Martinelli’s actions “disgraceful” and insisting an apology was required. He even questioned why Liverpool players did not react more aggressively, remarks that immediately divided opinion across social media and punditry circles.

Gabriel Martinelli’s criticism of Neville quickly became one of the weekend’s most heated discussions.

Speaking on talkSPORT’s White & Jordan show, Keown dismissed Neville’s comments as overblown and unnecessary.

“He’s just trying to inflame the situation when he’s got nothing else to do,” Keown said.
“He was bored. It wasn’t a great game and he made that the narrative.”

Keown went on to defend Martinelli’s character, describing the Brazilian winger as one of the most respectful players he has encountered.

“He’s one of the nicest people I’ve met in football. Very courteous.”

Keown argued the incident was a misunderstanding rather than deliberate misconduct. He suggested Martinelli believed Bradley was time-wasting and acted in frustration, not knowing the severity of the injury.

Martinelli later apologised publicly and privately, explaining he did not realise Bradley was seriously hurt. The Arsenal forward received only a yellow card, and no retrospective action followed.

Perfect Response on the Pitch

Rather than allowing the controversy to linger, Martinelli responded emphatically. He scored a hat-trick in Arsenal’s 4-1 FA Cup win over Portsmouth, reminding supporters why Arteta values his intensity and mentality.

Keown praised the reaction, pointing to Martinelli’s professionalism and resilience under pressure.

The exchange reflects the long-standing rivalry between former Arsenal and Manchester United players in the media. Other pundits, including Jason Cundy, echoed Neville’s stance, but Arsenal supporters largely rallied behind Martinelli.

The winger’s performance continues to be the most crucial element in Arsenal’s quest for a trophy, not the noise off the field.

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