{"id":724,"date":"2026-04-06T00:36:45","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T00:36:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/?p=724"},"modified":"2026-04-06T00:36:45","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T00:36:45","slug":"ex-premier-league-referee-slams-arsenal-star-for-his-behaviour-total-disrespect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/?p=724","title":{"rendered":"Ex-Premier League referee slams Arsenal star for his behaviour &#8211; &#8216;Total disrespect&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_68255d\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Arsenal were knocked out of the FA Cup by Southampton on Saturday night and forward Gabriel Martinelli was involved in an incident with referee Sam Barrott in the closing stages<\/h2>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"36971630\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Gabriel Martinelli of Arsenal\" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36971630.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_GettyImages-2269896188.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36971630.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/0_GettyImages-2269896188.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36971630.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/0_GettyImages-2269896188.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36971630.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_GettyImages-2269896188.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Gabriel Martinelli let his frustration boil over vs Southampton\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Gabriel Martinelli let his frustration boil over vs Southampton<cite aria-label=\"Image: Robin Jones\/Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Robin Jones\/Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Gabriel Martinelli should have been sent off for pushing referee Sam Barrott during Arsenal&#8217;s defeat by Southampton, according to ex-Premier League referee Mark Halsey. The incident happened in the final minutes of Saints&#8217; surprise 2-1 win over Arsenal in the FA Cup on Saturday night.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Shea Charles&#8217; finish into the bottom corner in the 85th minute had put the home side back ahead and left the Gunners desperately chasing a second equaliser. Mikel Arteta&#8217;s side tried to put the pressure on Southampton and were awarded a free-kick when Max Dowman was brought down in the 94th minute.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Martinelli ran over to the scene to try and take the free-kick quickly. He pushed Barrott and grabbed the ball, trying to restart play as swiftly as possible. The shocked official blew his whistle and pulled out the yellow card for the Arsenal forward.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Halsey refereed in the Premier League between 1999 and 2013 and believes Barrott should have issued a red instead, in order to lay down a marker and demand more respect for officials.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE!<\/strong><a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mirrorfootballarsenal#\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">  Latest Gunners news and more on our dedicated Facebook page<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_de167e\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\">Abandoned stadium that hosted multiple FA Cup finals has been left to rot for years<\/span><\/span><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_de167e\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\">Arsenal sensation admits he &#8216;shouldn&#8217;t have been in England squad&#8217; amid injury debate<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Referee Sam Barrott awarded a free-kick to Arsenal, Martinelli comes rushing in and he pushes Sam out of the way,&#8221; he told The Sun. &#8220;Now I&#8217;m sorry, Gabriel Martinelli showed total disrespect for the match official Sam Barrott in that situation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Although Sam issued a yellow card, for me it&#8217;s a red card. You just cannot put your hands on a referee, let alone push him out of the way. You&#8217;ve got to look around the country, up and down, Saturday and Sundays where we have local park referees going out and doing their games. What message does that send out to our local park referees?<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;I thought Sam had a good game, he refereed the game well, but I think he let the refereeing community down by not sending off Gabriel Martinelli for pushing him at the award of a free-kick, so he could take the free-kick quickly.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-36971657\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"36971657\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.67\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Sam Barrott booked Gabriel Martinelli for pushing him\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36971657.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_sam-barrott-martinelliJPG.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36971657.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_sam-barrott-martinelliJPG.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36971657.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_sam-barrott-martinelliJPG.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36971657.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_sam-barrott-martinelliJPG.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Sam Barrott booked Gabriel Martinelli for pushing him\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Sam Barrott booked Gabriel Martinelli for pushing him<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><em><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">HAVE YOUR SAY! Should Gabriel Martinelli have been sent off? <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"#comments-section\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Comment below<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Ref Support UK, a charity which trains and supports officials, wrote on X: &#8220;The FA cannot let him get away with that. This will be a missed opportunity if they don\u2019t take action against Arsenal and Martinelli.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;There has been too many incidents in football where refs are pushed or shoved and football cannot let it escalate any more. I would have loved to see the ref send him off.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The incident came on a miserable night for Arsenal on the south coast. Having been chasing a quadruple up until recently, they are now left in just two competitions, having lost the Carabao Cup final to Manchester City and been knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship side Southampton.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/chat.whatsapp.com\/Feq1SEG6mXDIZGTTnek7oz\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\"><em>Join our new WhatsApp community<\/em><\/a>  and receive your daily dose of <em>Mirror<\/em> <em>Football<\/em> content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don&#8217;t like our community, you can check out any time you like. 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