Nick Woltemade has opened up on an altercation with Arsenal defender Gabriel, through which he was seemingly elbowed within the face, throughout Newcastle’s crushing late defeat to the Gunners at St. James’ Park.
Gabriel netted a dramatic 96th-minute winner to finish an unimaginable comeback for the Gunners, after Woltemade had opened the scoring within the first half towards the run of play.
The 23-year-old towered over the centre-back, whom he had an intense battle with all through the sport, to move house emphatically within the thirty fourth minute after what had been a dominant Gunners begin.
Gabriel and a number of other Arsenal gamers have been incensed that the objective had not been disallowed, with the defender going to floor softly after feeling Woltemade’s fingers on his again as he went to move the ball.
His complaints got here to nothing, and the objective was given, however this was to be the beginning of a battle that may boil over simply minutes later.
Straight from kick-off, Woltemade hunted the ball down as he seemed to journey the momentum his opener had simply created. Nonetheless, as he led the press, Gabriel appeared to cost towards the striker and elbow him within the face.
Gabriel appeared to elbow Nick Woltemade within the face throughout Arsenal’s win over Newcastle
The incident got here minutes after Woltemade towered over Gabriel to open the scoring
The German striker stood tall regardless of the ferocity of the problem from Gabriel, who escaped punishment. Nonetheless, chatting with Sky Sports activities, he made it clear that he would not consider such challenges belong within the sport.
He stated: ‘After the objective, there was a scenario the place I felt his elbow in my face at two metres, so his arm needed to be actually excessive.
‘I simply stated it to the referee that I felt one thing within the face, and I feel it isn’t proper to really feel one thing within the face, however I am not the kind of participant to fall down for this. It is exhausting as a result of generally possibly it’s important to do that, however this isn’t my kind of soccer.
Following the obvious elbow, Woltemade made certain to confront Gabriel, and the 2 squared off earlier than referee Jarred Gillett came visiting to calm issues down.
After a short chat, Gabriel supplied his apologies to the striker and stretched out his hand to supply a handshake. However Woltemade stood agency and didn’t shake the defender’s hand, as a substitute strolling away.
Woltemade continued: ‘He stated sorry after, so I feel he knew he hit me in my face. I did not resolve the scenario to be trustworthy. I do not like this.
‘For those who do some issues in-game after which a number of seconds later you apologize, that is not a part of the sport. I just like the scenario the place you’ll be able to have battle, nevertheless it all the time needs to be honest. His elbow shouldn’t be in my face.’
In the end, Arsenal benefitted from Woltemade’s choice to not go down after the incident, with Gabriel staying on the pitch and scoring the winner.
Gabriel and Woltemade have been concerned in an intense battle all sport which he loved in moments
The Brazilian wasn’t punished for the obvious elbow and went onto rating a 96th-minute winner
The last-gasp header meant that the Gunners pounced on Liverpool’s slip-up and closed the hole on the prime to only two factors.
In the meantime, it was the second time this season that the Magpies suffered heartbreak proper on the loss of life, with Liverpool additionally netting a stoppage-time winner at St. James’ Park final month.
Woltemade admitted that whereas shedding in that style ‘would not really feel good’, Newcastle can be taught so much from the defeat.
‘For those who get two actual late targets, it would not really feel good for those who’re 90 minutes 1-0 in entrance,’ he added. ‘Yeah, simply would not really feel good. I feel within the second half, we did not get the stress away from our objective. We have been simply defending.
‘Generally we’ve to take extra conditions the place we will breathe, the place we additionally play with the ball and get some conditions the place we will get out of stress and get the ball within the Arsenal aspect.
‘We have now to study it as a result of for those who defend for 45 or 52 minutes within the second half and do not get any probabilities after which they get two targets by corners, so do not feel good.’
