The fallout from Thursday night’s gritty 0-0 draw at the Emirates has taken a stunning turn. While fans were still reeling from the image of Conor Bradley leaving the pitch in tears, the governing bodies have delivered a hammer blow to Mikel Arteta’s title ambitions.
In an unprecedented move following the late-game chaos, FIFA and the FA have reportedly handed down straight three-match suspensions to Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus for their roles in the “disgraceful” flashpoint involving the injured Bradley.
The “Emirates Melee”: What Triggered the Ban?
The incident that sparked the global headlines occurred in the 93rd minute. As Conor Bradley collapsed with what is feared to be a serious knee injury, the tension of the title race boiled over.
* Gabriel Martinelli: Labeled an “idiot” by Gary Neville, the winger was seen dropping the ball on the prone Bradley and physically trying to shove the screaming defender off the pitch to restart play.
* Gabriel Jesus: The Brazilian striker was caught in a heated secondary altercation, reportedly using “excessive force” and “abusive language” as Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté rushed in to protect his teammate.
While Anthony Taylor originally handed out yellow cards on the pitch, the “egregious nature” of the unsporting conduct toward a seriously injured player prompted an emergency review by the disciplinary committee this morning.
The Verdict: A Title Race in Turmoil
The three-match ban is a “straight-red equivalent” for unsporting behavior and violent conduct during a melee. This means Arsenal will be without two of their most potent attacking threats for a brutal stretch of January fixtures:
| Match Missed | Opponent | Competition |
|—|—|—|
| Match 1 | Chelsea | Premier League |
| Match 2 | Nottingham Forest | Premier League |
| Match 3 | West Ham | FA Cup (4th Round) |
“A Lack of Human Decency”
Roy Keane, speaking on Sky Sports, didn’t hold back on the news of the suspension.
> “Three games isn’t enough,” Keane fumed. “You have a young lad whose career might be in the balance, and you’re trying to roll him off the pitch like a piece of rubbish? It’s a lack of human decency. FIFA has sent a message today: the ‘win at all costs’ mentality has a limit.”
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Arteta’s Selection Nightmare
For Mikel Arteta, the news is a catastrophe. With Viktor Gyökeres struggling for form and Martin Ødegaard only recently returning from the fringes, losing the “Two Gabriels” leaves a gaping hole in the Gunners’ frontline.
The suspension of Martinelli, in particular, is being viewed as a landmark ruling. By elevating a yellow card to a three-match ban, FIFA is signaling a zero-tolerance policy for players who interfere with medical emergencies on the pitch.
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