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Mark Clattenburg has exclusively told Arsenal Insider that Gabriel Martinelli should have been shown a red card for pushing the referee against Southampton.
Martinelli shoved Sam Barratt as he attempted to take a quick free-kick and was subsequently given just a yellow card for the incident.
YELLOW or RED: Was Gabriel Martinelli fortunate to have only been booked vs Southampton for pushing the ref?
Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
However, there has been a lot of discussion about Martinelli’s punishment and whether he should be treated with greater force for putting his hands on the ref.
Clattenburg has been speaking to Arsenal Insider about whether the Brazilian international should be given a longer ban.
Exclusive: Mark Clattenburg thinks Gabriel Martinelli should have been sent off
Mark Clattenburg claims that Sam Barratt should have sent off Gabriel Martinelli for pushing him during Arsenal’s defeat to Southampton.
Rival fans have pointed out that Aleksandar Mitrovic received an eight-match ban for doing something similar; however, the FA cannot intervene now as the ref dealt with the matter during the game.
“A player cannot push a referee, and Aleksandar Mitrovic received an eight-match suspension for doing just that,” Clattenburg exclusively told Arsenal Insider.
“Sam Barratt should have sent off Gabriel Martinelli for pushing him out of the way and has let all referees down in only issuing a yellow card, as players at all levels of football will know see this as acceptable when it is not.
“Once Barratt issued a yellow card, the Football Association cannot issue a retrospective ban as the incident was seen by the referee.”
The 24-year-old can count himself very lucky not to have been on the receiving end of a much stronger punishment, and that he was only given a yellow card.
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Credit: Getty Images/Michael Regan
Martinelli has been so poor recently, and it’s just unacceptable for him to be getting involved in incidents like that when the Gunners really need him to step up.
Max Dowman showed up Arsenal’s other attackers in the FA Cup, and their more experienced players really need to start showing more responsibility.
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