Gary Neville blasts Jakub Kiwior for ‘leaving Arsenal short in the middle of the box’ for first goal

Gary Neville has blasted Jakub Kiwior for going down injured in front in the goalmouth just before Julio Enciso put Brighton 1-0 up. 

After a goalless first half, the Seagulls grew in confidence and found their way down the left wing, with Pervis Estupinan playing a bouncing cross into the box. 

In the mele inside the six-yard box, Evan Ferguson appeared to stand on the heel of Kiwior, removing his boot, with the Polish centre-half stooping to the ground clutching his foot. 

Brighton then played in another cross while the defender was on the floor with his man, Enciso, now unmarked inside the box in the absence of the centre back, headed in the resulting cross to put the away side 1-0 up. 

Neville, who was on commentary along side Martin Tyler for the match, questioned the defender’s decision to stay on the ground, claiming that Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira might have something to say about the incident. 

‘Kiwior is injured but the fact that he was injured, I mean… He goes down holding his ankle and left Arsenal short in the middle of the box,’ Neville said, sighing.

‘He goes down. Can he not just… I’m scared of saying it,’ Neville said, implying that Kiwior should have perhaps stood up and carried on despite being injured. 

‘And I’m sure the lads in the studio, Roy [Keane] and Patrick [Viera], might be thinking it and have a bit more to say. 

‘If you’re injured you’re injured. But as a centre half, surely you just have to stand up and let the attack finish?

Brighton found a second towards the end of the match through Deniz Undav, spelling big concerns for Arsenal’s title hopes.  

In the dying embers of the game, Estupinan would strike a long shot past Aaron Ramsdale to give Brighton a 3-0 lead to seal the match. 

More to follow…