Manchester United and England legend, Wayne Rooney, believes that Arsenal star Gabriel was ‘extremely lucky’ to avoid being shown a red card after kicking Emi Martinez in the face. The incident occurred in the first half as Arsenal came from behind to beat Chelsea 2-1 at the Emirates on Sunday.
While on the ground, the Arsenal defender flung out his leg but only caught a fraction of the ball. His left foot hit Martinez’s head and the Chelsea goalkeeper needed treatment.
No foul was given by referee Chris Kavanagh and VAR decided not to intervene, yet Rooney reckons that Gabriel should’ve seen red. On Match of the Day (via Mirror), Rooney said: “You don’t really see it at first sight but then when you see a replay and they slow it down.
“Martinez has got the ball in his hands and Gabriel boots him in the head, he swings a leg and goes way over the top. He’s extremely lucky to stay on the pitch.”
Fellow pundit and Rooney’s former United teammate Ashley Young added: “I agree. When the ball is on the floor and Martinez has it, Gabriel kicks so high. I’m not sure why it hasn’t gone to VAR of if they’ve properly studied it because he’s nowhere the ball. He’s got away with one there.”
Arsenal did soon equalise through Kai Havertz before Odegaard fired them into the lead shortly after half-time. Chelsea couldn’t find a response and went home empty-handed, with the Gabriel incident emerging as a major talking point following the London derby.
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However, former Premier League referee Mark Halsey disagrees with Rooney and Young, telling the Sun: “Everybody was on the floor. There’s legs flying all over the place, and then there was the ball was loose and Gabriel aims a kick at the ball, totally misses the ball, and then catches Chelsea goalkeeper Martinez in the head.
“Now, is that an act of violent conduct or is it, was it normal contact? Yes, for me, I think there’s a doubt there to whether it was violent conduct, only Gabriel will know if he deliberately kicked Martinez.
“But for me, without a doubt, it’s not violent conduct because everybody’s in there. He’s got a right to go for the ball and because they’re all on the floor, that’s why he’s caught Martinez in the head.”
