'I don't know how the Liverpool players didn't go and whack him' - Gary Neville and Roy Keane hit out at Gabriel Martinelli

""I'm absolutely fuming with Martinelli," he said. "I don't know how the Liverpool players didn't go over and absolutely whack him and take a red card. Absolutely disgraceful that.""

""I didn't like it at all," said the Irishman. "We know football, we know players' reactions. First of all throwing the ball on him, standing over him and then he's got a little knee in him, he's trying to force him off. I'm surprised the Liverpool players didn't react to Martinelli a bit more. I think Martinelli, with that behaviour, is an absolute disgrace. Not good scenes. Hopefully Martinelli will have a look at it and hopefully apologise for it.""

""You keep a clean sheet, you take a point, they're the positives, but Liverpool kind of dominated the game. OK, they had no cutting edge but I think it was the way Arsenal didn't go and take the initiative. There was a little bit of tension in the stadium and obviously that will get worse the latter part of the season, so that'll be a worry, but all credit to Liverpool the way they dominated possession.""

Gabriel Martinelli threw a ball at and pushed Conor Bradley while Bradley was down holding his knee, which sparked a pitch melee. Conor Bradley was eventually carried off on a stretcher with an apparent knee injury. Martinelli and Ibrahima Konate were booked during the incident. The actions drew strong condemnation and calls for an apology, with suggestions that a sterner reaction might have been warranted. Liverpool dominated possession, showed fight and swagger despite lacking cutting edge, while Arsenal's tentative display raised concerns about their title prospects and growing tension as the season progresses.

Read at Irish Independent