Retired referee Keith Hackett has commented on the collision between Neal Maupay and Bernd Leno in the first half of the clash between Arsenal and Brighton. The Seagulls forward did not even get a booking for nudging the keeper even though his challenge looked quite nasty.
"I thought the referee got it right – it’s a judgement call," said the former Premier League official in an interview with Football Insider.
"Look, I’m seeing goalkeepers now regularly coming out blood and thunder to wipe out the forward, and we had one recently where Ederson wiped out his own player. He came out full-force and was saying 'I’m going to get the ball and if I fail to get the ball I’m going to get the man'.
"I think that’s a very dangerous approach that seems to be a growing trend. Here, it was a touch. Look, football is a contact game, I don’t [think] there was any malice from the forward. Yes, he was a touch late and worthy of perhaps a word, but nothing else.
"Ultimately, at the end of the day when a player is injured, he’s looking around at who to blame and I think that’s what he did."
After the game, Maupay apologised to Leno, saying that he didn't mean to hurt him.
Luckily, Leno has avoided a serious injury but will nonetheless be sidelined for four to six weeks. In the meantime, Emi Martinez will get a chance to stake a claim to be Arsenal's number 1.
Ultime notizie
