Virgil van Dijk on Conor Bradley’s injury and confrontation with Gabriel Martinelli | OneFootball

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said his teammates “rightly” came to the aid of Conor Bradley, who was shoved while injured during the closing stages of the goalless draw with Arsenal.

Bradley suffered a knee injury late in the match and was left in pain on the floor near the edge of the pitch.

Gabriel Martinelli appeared to believe the defender was time-wasting and shoved him off the pitch, sparking an altercation between players from both sides.

Bradley was eventually stretchered off and later pictured leaving the stadium on crutches.

“Everyone was unhappy at that moment,” van Dijk said after the game.

“It wasn’t a couple of players, but everyone, and rightly so because Conor was on the pitch and to be pushing him off the pitch is not really a good sight.

“It is pretty obvious for you guys to analyse it from clips. For us, it goes pretty quickly. The long ball came, Conor is challenging for it, falls down on the pitch and obviously Martinelli pushes him off the pitch and our players reacted.

“We all came together, and we had no clue what really happened, but it doesn’t look great, and it doesn’t look great on Martinelli either,” he added. 

“We are focusing on Conor now. Hopefully, it is not the worst, but it doesn’t look great. He will have medical tests coming up in the next 24 hours and we have to adapt.”

Liverpool quickly turn their attention to the FA Cup, welcoming League One side Barnsley to Anfield on Monday evening.

Van Dijk, who lifted the trophy under Jurgen Klopp in 2022, is eager to begin another cup run starting with the third round tie.

“Any competition is important, but definitely the FA Cup is important,” he said. 

“Barnsley will come to us on Monday, and I am looking forward to that game.

“They will try everything in order to get through, and we have to be ready for a big fight and the chances to finish them off. I am really looking forward to the FA Cup, and the Champions League, too.”