Arsenal FC get new Gabriel red card verdict after kick to Emi Martinez's head

Sport | Football

Arsenal get new Gabriel red card verdict after kick to Emi Martinez's head

Former referee Dermot Gallagher has had his say

Matt Verri, Football Reporter

1 minute ago

COMMENTS

Arsenal Edition

Your weekly briefing on Arsenal, featuring team news and expert analysis from Matt Verri

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

The officials in charge of Arsenal's win over Chelsea were right to not show Gabriel a red card.

That is the verdict of former referee Dermot Gallagher, who deemed the defender to have made an honest attempt at the ball.

The incident came early in the match, after Chelsea had taken the lead and Arsenal were pushing for a swift equaliser.

Martin Odegaard played a low free-kick to the near post and Riccardo Calafiori could not make clean contact as he slid in.

A chaotic scramble followed, with Gabriel on the floor and challenging with Joao Pedro and Jorrel Hato as Emi Martinez tried to claim the ball in the mass of the bodies.

As Gabriel swung a boot at the ball, he kicked Martinez in the head.

The Chelsea goalkeeper required treatment but there was no further action taken by the officials.

Wayne Rooney claimed that was a mistake, arguing that Gabriel was "extremely lucky" to avoid a red card.

However, Gallagher insisted that the right decision was made, pointing to the touch Gabriel got on the ball before connecting with the goalkeeper.

"They're all on the floor," Gallagher told Sky Sports. "There's a big tangle. He definitely goes to kick the ball and he gets the ball, his foot actually gets the ball.

"That's why it pops out of Martinez's hands. Martinez grabs the ball, [Gabriel] goes to kick, gets the ball. Then his foot goes up and catches Martinez in the head."

Asked whether the ball was in both hands when Gabriel then kicked Martinez, Gallagher added: "It was but he's gone to kick the ball because there's such a tangle. He's gone to get it.

"I don't think there's any malice whatsoever in it."

That was an opinion shared by former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood, who criticised Martinez's reaction to the contact.

"I thought his ball slid off the top of the ball and then caught Martinez," Sherwood said.

"Martinez makes far too much of it. That's the red flag. If I'm a referee, I'm thinking he's trying his best to get him sent off."

MORE ABOUT

Click here to read article