Gabby Agbonlahor tells Arsenal to 'shut up and stop moaning' and gives Lionel Messi's example to Bukayo Saka

Gabby Agbonlahor has told Arsenal to 'shut up and stop moaning' after the Gunners reportedly complained to Premier League's refereeing body, PGMOL, over rough treatment of Bukayo Saka. He urged them to look at how Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi were treated by their opponents and 'get on' with the game.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Agbonlahor stated that all good players get kicked and fouled as it was the best way for opponents to get into their heads. He added that Arsenal have been complaining too much and said:

"Shut up, stop moaning. It's all you hear off Arteta and Arsenal – get on with it, it's football. Back in your day, you used to get fouled every time you got the ball. Look at the clips of Maradona, he used to get two-footed in the chest! Two-footed in the chest, no yellow card, play on. Messi – kicked, kicked, kicked – he just gets up, takes a quick free-kick and gets on with it. Honestly, just stop moaning. Get on with your game."

He added:

"Yes, Saka might get fouled a lot but that's because he's a top player and people have got to stop you. I got kicked but I just got on with it. If you weren't a good player you wouldn't be getting fouled so much. Managers will say to take it in turns to get a yellow card to stop that player. I'm sure they do that with top, top players. So Arsenal, get on with it. Arteta and whoever is moaning, stop moaning."

Saka was the third-most fouled player in 2023 in the Premier League. The Gunners star remains in the third spot on the list this season after Jordan Ayew and Bruno Guimares.

Arsenal lodge complaint to PGMOL about fouls on Bukayo Saka

Arsenal reportedly registered an official complaint with PGMOL and called for special treatment of Bukayo Saka (via Mirror). They believe that he gets fouled way too much, and the referees have not done enough to protect him.

Mikel Arteta also spoke about the issue earlier this season and said:

"He needs to learn when to take certain balls, what to do with that ball, how to use his body, when to jump. There are a lot of things we can train but obviously it is very difficult to understand what the opponent is going to do. Wingers and talented players get kicked and fouled and get the demand to win games and that is the chance he has, that is his role in the team."

Saka has drawn comparison with Jack Grealish, Wilfried Zaha, and Eden Hazard for drawing fouls from opponents.