Nick Woltemade clashed with Gabriel in Newcastle’s narrow loss to Arsenal. He even refused to accept the defender’s apology after a heated on-field incident.
Early spark between Woltemade & Gabriel turns sour
Nick Woltemade thought he had written the perfect script at St James’ Park. The towering striker arrived for a record £69m from Stuttgart. He gave Newcastle the lead with a powerful header from Sandro Tonali’s pinpoint cross. It was only his second goal for the Magpies.
But, the pressure didn’t last long. Arsenal kept searching and Gabriel netted a 96th-minute winner. Yet, the real talking point wasn’t just the late goal. It was the bad blood brewing between Gabriel and Woltemade.
The flashpoint began when Gabriel felt he had been shoved in the back as Woltemade climbed to meet Tonali’s cross. From that moment, the pair exchanged words and tussles. What truly ignited the situation was an off-the-ball incident later in the match when Gabriel was seemingly seen to strike Woltemade in the face. Neither match official Jarred Gillett nor VAR picked it up. Speaking to Sky Sports, the German striker told that he certainly noticed the elbow.
Bad blood lingers after final whistle
When the dust settled, Gabriel walked over to offer an apology, but Woltemade wasn’t interested. The forward believed the contact was purposeful and the Arsenal player should have been sanctioned. Gabriel left the field with three points and a very late winner. But, while Woltemade was angry leaving the pitch, although he had scored. It has sparked plenty of discussion from fans and pundits.
Both the sides are trying to push towards the top this season. There’s a good chance this won’t be the last time they face eachother in such a heated battle.
Author’s Opinion:
Woltemade was right to feel aggrieved, the elbow looked deliberate. Now, Newcastle must use that frustration into results. Although, Arsenal were poor, but they know how to get the results.
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