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Should Gabriel Martinelli Have Been Sent Off For This Foul on Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma?

Gary Neville believes that Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli was lucky not to be sent off in Sunday's game with Brighton for a dangerous foul on Kaoru Mitoma.

Robert Summerscales

Should Gabriel Martinelli Have Been Sent Off For This Foul on Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma?
Should Gabriel Martinelli Have Been Sent Off For This Foul on Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma? /

Gary Neville believes that Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli was lucky not to be sent off in Sunday's game against Brighton.

The match was less than five minutes old when Martinelli jumped into Brighton forward Kaoru Mitoma, hitting the Brighton forward with his left arm and sending him to the floor.

Mitoma had got his head to the ball milliseconds before he was flattened by the Brazilian, who did not appear to make any attempt to play the ball.

Referee Andy Madley awarded Brighton a free-kick but did not issue a card.

Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli pictured (left) fouling Brighton forward Kaoru Mitoma during a Premier League game in May 2023
Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli pictured (left) fouling Brighton forward Kaoru Mitoma / Soccer on NBC Sports

Former Manchester United right-back Neville, who was commentating on the game for Sky Sports, was shocked.

"Has he not booked him!? I would not have been surprised if it was a red," said Neville.

He later added: "I think that is dangerous. He knows exactly what he is doing."

Despite avoiding a red card, Martinelli did leave the field before the first half was over.

Martinelli was injured by a bad challenge from Moises Caicedo, who Neville felt may have been seeking retribution for his teammate.

After going easy on Martinelli, Madley was also lenient with Caicedo and did not book the Brighton midfielder.

But Neville suggested that Caicedo may have been dismissed had another referee been in charge.

He said: "I think the challenge by Moises Caicedo was a poor one. It should have been at least a yellow card."

Martinelli was replaced by former Brighton winger Leandro Trossard in the 20th minute.

Brighton went on to win the game 3-0.

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Robert Summerscales
ROBERT SUMMERSCALES

Robert Summerscales launched FanNation Futbol in February 2022. Rob is a British journalist who previously spent two years on the sports desk at the Daily Mail in London, having earlier served as editor of CaughtOffside.com. He has been to the last two FIFA Men's World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, and is looking forward to completing his hat-trick in North America in 2026.