Bernd Leno injury: BT Sport refuse to show replays after goalkeeper injures knee in collision with Neal Maupay

Bernd Leno was clearly furious with Brighton striker Neal Maupay after a collision that saw the Arsenal goalkeeper taken off on a stretcher five minutes before half-time.

Leno and Maupay both jumped for a ball on the edge of the Arsenal box and collided but the keeper came off the worse, landing on his right leg before appearing to suffer a serious knee injury.

The footage of the incident was so graphic that BT Sport, broadcasting a 3pm Saturday kick-off on TV for the very first time in the UK, decided not to show any replays.

Maupay appeared to claim he had played the ball (Photo: AFP)

Leno clearly felt Maupay had been at fault for the incident (Photo: AP)

The German international was clearly in serious discomfort and was quickly attended to by medics in full PPE, who strapped up his right leg and appeared to administer inhaled painkillers.

Leno was carried off on a stretcher but was able to sit up as he passed Maupay and angrily remonstrate with the Frenchman about the incident, pointing his finger to leave no doubt about whom he blamed for the injury.

No card was shown by the on-field referee though and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) did not intervene to suggest there had been serious foul play.

Analysis

Leno signed for Arsenal two years ago for around £20million from Bayer Leverkusen as the long-term replacement for Petr Cech, whose performance levels dropped off badly towards the end of his Premier League career.

Cech was also clearly struggling to adapt to Unai Emery’s desire to play passing football from a deeper position, and the arrival of Leno was part of that philosophy.

After a bedding-in period, Leno has since been one of Arsenal’s best players and even if the knee injury is only half as serious as it seems, he will miss the rest of the season.

He will be badly missed too: Emiliano Martinez has just six Premier League appearances to his name.

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