Gabriel Magalhaes Cleared Over Kick to Martinez’s Head as Panel Unanimously Backs No-Red Decision

Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes has been cleared of any wrongdoing after his boot caught Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the head during their Premier League clash, with a panel of officials backing the referee's decision not to send him off.

The incident happened just five minutes into Arsenal's 2-1 win over Chelsea at the Emirates on September 6. In a scramble inside the box, Gabriel's boot connected with Martinez's head, and the Argentine keeper needed treatment on the pitch.

Referee Chris Kavanagh didn't have a clear view at the time, with players crowding the area, and chose not to send Gabriel off. VAR looked at the challenge too but decided not to send Kavanagh to the pitchside monitor, so the game carried on despite Chelsea's complaints.

The Premier League's Key Match Incident Panel later reviewed the footage, and all five members agreed with how it was handled on the day. 

"The panel unanimously supported the referee's call of no red card," the panel said in a statement on the Premier League's website. "Multiple players were on the ground competing and challenging for the loose ball, and the action of Gabriel was not deemed to be an act of violent conduct or serious foul play."

The decision means Gabriel still hasn't picked up a straight red card in any of his 265 Arsenal appearances. Since joining from Lille in 2020, he's collected 32 yellow cards and been sent off twice, both times for two bookable offences in the same game.

Not everyone agreed with the panel's verdict. Speaking on BBC's Match of the Day, former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney said replays told a different story than the incident looked like in real time. "You don't really see it at first sight but then when you see a replay and they slow it down," Rooney said. "Martinez has got the ball in his hands and Gabriel boots him in the head, he swings a leg and goes way over the top. He's extremely lucky to stay on the pitch."

Fellow pundit Ashley Young agreed and questioned why the incident wasn't sent to the monitor. "I agree. When the ball is on the floor and Martinez has it, Gabriel kicks so high. I'm not sure why it hasn't gone to VAR or if they've properly studied it because he's nowhere near the ball. He's got away with one there."

Gabriel staying on the pitch turned out to be huge for Arsenal. Chelsea's Morgan Rogers, a £117m signing, put the visitors ahead inside two minutes, before Kai Havertz equalised against his old club. Captain Martin Odegaard then scored the winner in the 50th minute.

The result kept Mikel Arteta's Arsenal perfect through four league games this season. Chelsea, meanwhile, are still struggling at the back under Xabi Alonso. The club have now gone 20 straight Premier League matches without a clean sheet.