FA stance on Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli clarified following Conor Bradley incident
Former PGMOL boss Keith Hackett has shared his view on the FA’s likely stance regarding any further punishment for Gabriel Martinelli following his clash with Conor Bradley during Arsenal’s goalless draw with Liverpool on Thursday night.
Arsenal, who were clearly frustrated at the Emirates, saw tensions rise late in the game. Concerns quickly grew for Bradley after he appeared to suffer a knee injury near the touchline. Despite the seriousness of the moment, Martinelli was seen throwing the ball at the Liverpool defender and forcefully attempting to usher him off the pitch so play could resume.
The situation drew even more criticism when Bradley was eventually stretchered off. Although Martinelli later issued a public apology, debate has continued over whether the Arsenal winger should face retrospective punishment after receiving only a yellow card.
Hackett weighs in on FA action
Speaking to Football Insider, Hackett, a former FIFA referee, was highly critical of Martinelli’s conduct.
“It was clear the Liverpool player was badly injured. Martinelli’s actions were disgraceful and, in my view, warranted a red card,” he said.
However, despite believing stronger punishment was justified, Hackett does not expect the FA to intervene. He explained that while Martinelli’s behaviour endangered his opponent, referee Anthony Taylor had seen the incident, issued a quick caution, and successfully calmed the situation.
“When a player is seriously injured, it’s vital that medical staff can assess them immediately,” Hackett added. “I would like the authorities to review this with the possibility of upgrading the yellow card, but I don’t expect further action—though I’d welcome it if it happened.”
Historically, the FA tends to act retrospectively only when incidents are missed by officials or involve serious off-field breaches. A recent example was Milutin Osmajic’s nine-match ban in February 2025 for racially abusing Hannibal Mejbri. Compared to that case, Martinelli’s actions are unlikely to attract the same level of scrutiny, particularly as the referee dealt with the situation at the time.
Martinelli issues apology
Another factor working in Martinelli’s favour is his swift apology. The Brazilian winger took to social media to address the backlash and confirmed he had personally reached out to Bradley.
“Conor and I have messaged, and I’ve already apologised to him,” Martinelli wrote. “I didn’t realise how serious the injury was in the heat of the moment. I’m deeply sorry for my reaction and wish him a speedy recovery.”
The draw leaves Arsenal six points clear at the top of the Premier League after 21 matches, following Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Brighton. Liverpool, meanwhile, sit fourth, 14 points behind the league leaders.