Brighton’s Neal Maupay has received some backing from an unlikely source after he came under fire for causing Bernd Leno’s injury.
Leno was stretchered off in Arsenal’s game against Brighton after he appeared to twist his knee.
The German pointed a finger at Maupay as if to blame him as he was taken off the field and Arsenal players didn’t appreciate the striker’s role in the incident.
The Brighton match-winner was grabbed by his neck by Matteo Guendouzi after the game, but Arsenal goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez doesn’t blame the striker for causing the injury to his colleague.
The Argentinean told reporters after the game that he didn’t believe that the Frenchman deliberately wanted to harm Leno when he went for the ball that caused Leno’s injury.
He added that he had a close relationship with the Arsenal first choice who might be sidelined for a while now, and he backs himself to replace the German.
‘I don’t think he tried to injure him,’ he said after the game as quoted by the Mail. ‘He went for the ball, like any striker would and unfortunately this is football and these things happen.
‘I spoke to him [Leno] at half-time and he felt like he stretched his knee, twisted it a little bit, we couldn’t see from so far away.
‘But as a goalkeeper, in the goalkeepers’ union, I don’t want him to get injured, it’s a big loss for the team but I’m more than prepared.
‘We are very close, me and Bernd, so I wish him a speedy recovery and if I have to keep his place then I will do my best.’
