EPL
Neal Maupay’s s***house history with Arsenal explained
Before each game, Neal Maupay clears his mind by reading for half an hour while sat in his studs and shin pads.
That quiet figure studiously hunched over in the corner of the dressing room is the same frenzied individual that ignites on the football pitch, hounding after opposition defenders with an assault of limbs and words for as long as he is unleashed. Perhaps he’s flipping through Sun Tzu’s best work.
Since arriving in England as a 20-year-old half a decade ago, Maupay has endeared himself to the fanbase of each of his clubs almost as quickly as he has infuriated the rest of the league.
More than any other team, Arsenal have borne the brunt of Maupay’s unique brand of sh*thousery. But where was this rivalry sparked and how has Maupay continued to antagonise the Gunners so effectively?
Brentford lured Maupay across the English Channel in the summer of 2017 after a breakthrough campaign in the French second tier. During his second season in west London, Dean Smith’s Bees drew Arsenal in the third round of the Carabao Cup.
With a first promotion in seven decades the priority, Smith left his top scorer on the bench until late in the second half. By the time Maupay game on with 15 minutes left, Arsenal were already 2-1 up at the Emirates before Danny Welbeck sealed victory.
By the end of the match, all of the component parts of Maupay’s personal vendetta against Arsenal were on the pitch but it would be another 18 months before the fuse was lit.
On his second trip to the Emirates, now as a Brighton player, Maupay nodded in an 80th-minute winner for the Seagulls in December 2019, consigning an Arsenal side led by interim manager Freddie Ljungberg to a 2-1 defeat. However, this still is not the ignition point.
In the reverse fixture at a sun-drenched but spectator-less Amex Stadium, Maupay nabbed another late winner against Arsenal, waiting until the fifth minute of stoppage time to poke the ball past Emi Martinez. Yet, the Argentine understudy was not the goalkeeper that started the game for Arsenal.
Bernd Leno was Arsenal’s number one at the time but had to be stretchered off after Maupay collided with the goalkeeper while he leapt to catch the ball. Leno jarred his knee painfully upon landing and was forced off on a stretcher, angrily jabbing a finger in the direction of Maupay who shrugged in innocence.
At half-time and after the match, Maupay apologised for his role in the injury. Although, his comments regarding other members of Arsenal’s contingent overshadowed his clear remorse.
“Some of their players need to learn what is humility,” Maupay pointedly pointed out post-game.
Arsenal’s Matteo Guendouzi wrapped his hand around his compatriot’s throat at the final whistle, sending Maupay to the turf. Reports emerged after the match that Guendouzi had taunted Brighton’s players about their inferior wages.
“One of them was talking the whole game and saying really bad things,” revealed Maupay. “When I scored I just had to say: ‘Listen, that is what happens when you say bad things on the pitch’.”
Arsenal at home is next. 👀🔜 pic.twitter.com/bTEledx3sj
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) September 30, 2021
Arsenal did the double over Brighton the following season with Maupay involved for a grand total of 23 minutes but that didn’t stop the Frenchman mocking the Gunners from a distance.
Cartoonishly rubbing his hands in front of his eyes, Maupay’s crying goal celebration was inspired by the dramatic reaction of Guendouzi and Arsenal’s fanbase.
“I remember the Arsenal fans were really, really mad at me because I scored but also I was involved in their keeper’s injury, so I would say they were not happy with me,” Maupay remembered. “So when I scored my next goal it was to give them a shout really.”
Brighton’s media team fanned the flames by using Maupay’s celebration when advertising the Seagulls’ home game against Arsenal in October 2021.
Maupay may have swapped the south coast for Merseyside during the summer but the joy he gets in antagonising Arsenal has scarcely subsided.
Coming on for the final half-hour of Everton’s spirited 1-0 victory against the Gunners on Saturday, Maupay used what little time he had efficiently. Only one Everton player committed more fouls than Maupay (two) despite taking just eight touches in 29 minutes. Squaring up to both Granit Xhaka and Oleksandr Zinchenko, Maupay emphatically knocked Arsenal out of their stride as the league leaders tried and failed to find an equaliser.
Mikel Arteta lamented Arsenal’s lack of “emotional composure” after the match, an aspect of the game the Gunners have continuously struggled with when up against Maupay’s textbook sh*thousery.
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has suggested that he is not as appreciated at club level as he is for England.
Maguire made the switch to the Red Devils for £80m back in 2019 and has since divided opinion after being named the skipper less than a year later. This season, he was quickly dropped by incoming United manager Erik ten Hag in favour of Raphael Varane and summer signing Lisandro Martinez.
At international level however, the centre-back has been one of England’s most dependable performers under Gareth Southgate, playing a major role in the Three Lions’ deep tournament runs over the last five years.
Maguire started for England in Thursday’s 2-1 win at Italy in Euro 2024 qualifying. He didn’t cover himself in glory for the Azzurri’s goal but stood tall late on to help grind out the victory.
Speaking to the media post-match, Maguire was asked if he feels ‘properly appreciated’.
“For England, yes, I do,” he replied. “Obviously, last season was difficult for the club, but, listen, I’ve proven myself to Gareth, who works with a wide range of centre backs. He has the choice of all the English centre-backs in the country and I play, every time I’m available, I’ve been in the team.
“I’m sure if you ask the rest of the lads they know what I bring to the team. I’m 30 years old but I shouldn’t really need to prove myself at this level. I’ve over 50 caps. I’m England’s top-scoring defender.
“I’ve played nearly 200 times for Manchester United, I’ve captained the club for three years now, but I do also understand that when you’re the captain of Manchester United you do come under the most amount of scrutiny. Last season at club level, my performance wasn’t good enough, alongside everybody else at club level, not just myself struggled. Everyone else struggled.”
Maguire recognises that he has not always been at his best while wearing a United shirt.
He was an easy scapegoat during their dreadful 2021/22 season in which they recorded their lowest ever points tally in the Premier League era.
That said, Maguire has also failed to kick on and if anything has taken several steps backwards after what was a promising first half to 2021, emerging as one of the league’s leading centre-backs and playing out of his skin while unfit in England’s run to the Euro 2020 final.
His case hasn’t been helped by his outward need silence critics, notably scoring for England and sticking his fingers in his ears as a celebration amid his decline for United.
90min rounds up the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip circulating around the world…
Arsenal remain ahead of Chelsea in the race to sign Declan Rice from West Ham this summer. The midfielder’s preference is to stay in London amid previous links to Manchester City and Manchester United. (Football Insider)
New Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel will look to reunite with Chelsea duo Mateo Kovacic and Edouard Mendy when the summer window rolls around. (Calciomercato)
Manchester United are ready to send Amad Diallo back to Sassuolo as part of a bid to sign Italy midfielder Davide Frattesi. (CMW)
Another player on Manchester United‘s radar is Brighton striker Evan Ferguson. The 18-year-old scored on his debut for the Republic of Ireland earlier this week. (Football Insider)
Liverpool will look to strengthen their defensive ranks with the signing of Dutch defender Perr Schuurs, with current club Torino ready to sell for a fee of €50m. (Tuttosport)
Ilkay Gundogan is likely to leave Manchester City for Barcelona on a free transfer this summer. His contract expires at the end of the season. (The Athletic)
Real Madrid have joined Barcelona and Liverpool in the race to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen. (Fabrizio Romano)
Meanwhile, Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga would prefer to join Real Madrid over the likes of Barcelona and Manchester United this summer. (Cadena SER)
After failing with a bid last summer, Chelsea are working on another offer to sign Romeo Lavia from Southampton. (Football Insider)
Arsenal and Newcastle are monitoring Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojland, who grabbed a hat-trick on his international debut for Denmark this week. (Tutto Atalanta)
Having reached new heights in the Premier League in 2022/23, Arsenal will soon be beginning their preparations for the new campaign with a pre-season tour to get ready for 2023/24.
Preparations for last season took place in Germany for Arsenal but with the Covid-19 pandemic a bit more of a distant memory for many, it is expected that more teams will be heading further afield again to either the United States of America or Asia.
Arsenal are yet to announce a full training camp location for their pre-season but they do have one fixture already confirmed which drops a big clue.
The Gunners are going to be coming up against an MLS All-Star team in Washington D.C. which will be coached by Manchester United and England legend Wayne Rooney. That takes place on July 19 and it is hard to imagine that Arsenal will only play one game in America.
A semi-regular fixture of Arsenal’s pre-seasons in recent years has been the Emirates Cup, but there has not been any word on whether an edition of that will be taking place or not this summer. If there is, then Arsenal could be splitting their time between America and London.
All times BST.
As is the case for almost every big club in football now, all of Arsenal’s pre-season friendlies are expected to be televised live on Arsenal.com and their official app with a subscription.
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