Injury Controversy Marks Arsenal vs. Liverpool Match

Arsenal, currently leading the table, expressed concern that Northern Ireland international full-back Conor Bradley was attempting to waste time when he fell near the touchline late in the match. However, Bradley appeared to be in significant distress after his knee buckled while making a clearance.

Gabriel Martinelli was the first to respond, placing the ball on Bradley before trying to help him off the pitch. Liverpool players quickly intervened, with Ibrahima Konate receiving a booking for his involvement. Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville labeled Martinelli’s conduct a “disgrace.”

Following the match, Martinelli issued an apology for his actions, which occurred while Bradley sustained an injury serious enough to require a knee brace for his departure from north London. Nevertheless, Liverpool contended that they acted appropriately during the incident.

Virgil van Dijk addressed the media afterward, stating, “Everyone was unhappy at that moment. It wasn’t just a couple of players; it was the entire team, and rightly so because Conor was on the pitch, and pushing him off is not a good image.

“It’s easy for you to analyze from clips, but for us, everything happened quickly. The long ball came, Conor challenged for it, fell down, and Martinelli pushed him off the pitch. Our players reacted to that.

“We all came together without fully understanding what happened, but it didn’t look good for Martinelli. Our main focus is now on Conor; he will undergo medical assessments in the next 24 hours, and we will have to adjust accordingly.”

Van Dijk commended Bradley’s contributions before his departure, as Liverpool secured a 0-0 draw against Arsenal, extending their unbeaten streak to ten matches.

Arne Slot’s side struggled offensively, failing to register a shot on target. Van Dijk commented, “Our thoughts are with Conor first and foremost. Hopefully, it’s not severe, but it doesn’t appear promising. Our game plan was effective; we allowed their center-backs to have the ball, knowing they would struggle to create opportunities.

“While it didn’t look great, we knew that during a match, we would eventually find space to play more effectively, as we did in the second half. We were impressive in possession, and while we could have secured more than just a point, I am proud of the team against a well-performing opponent.

“No team can maintain high press for 90 minutes, especially in the initial 20 to 30 minutes, so we had to persevere, forcing them into a situation where they couldn’t find solutions. The players put in significant defensive effort, and in the second half, we excelled in possession, identifying the right players to connect with in between the lines.

“Unfortunately, we missed significant goal-scoring opportunities, especially with our two primary strikers, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike, sidelined due to injury, and with Mohamed Salah absent for Africa Cup of Nations duty. Nonetheless, the squad performed admirably and will take this point forward.”

Liverpool is set to compete again on Monday against League One side Barnsley in the FA Cup third round.