David Luiz is mugging Arsenal fans off says Steve Sidwell

Two games, two yellow cards and now two savage attacks from the pundits.

David Luiz was given a hero’s welcome at the Emirates before he’d even pulled on a Gunners shirt – but it hasn’t taken long for things to turn sour.

For now the man once dubbed a ‘PlayStation defender’ has been accused of ‘mugging Arsenal fans off’ after his latest blunder at Anfield.

The Gunners’ £8m summer signing gave away a penalty after tugging back Mo Salah as he charged through on goal – then claimed it was ‘just a reflex’. Arsenal lost the game 3-1.

But the comments riled Steve Sidwell, who hit out at Luiz on Episode 3 of the Liquid Football Show, which is produced by JOE in partnership with Paddy Power.
Straight-talking Sidwell fumed: “He’s mugging himself off and Arsenal fans as well there. Come out and take it on the chin.”

Appearing alongside Sidwell on the show was Wayne Bridge, who backed up Sidwell’s no-nonsense assessment.

“I literally couldn’t believe he said it, to be honest. I literally thought ‘what an idiot’ coming out with that comment. It was blatant – it wasn’t a reflex,” he said.

“I don’t think you could blame anything on a reflex. I was literally battering him – and then I did go back to a Cup final I played against Tottenham with Chelsea and we actually lost.

“I gave away a handball and if you watch it back it’s so bad. I was saying ‘it’s ball to hand’ and I watched it back and it’s literally just sat there. I just slapped it away. It was embarrassing to be honest.

“I think more would have been said about it in that cup final but we managed to get it back to 1-1 – and they scored in extra time. Mine was definitely reflex. That was definitely not one.

“David Luiz’ one was sloppy defending, lazy defending and he’s got in behind him too easily. For him to come out and say it’s a reflex, it’s embarrassing really.

“He was sloppy in that game all-round. Defenders have a different mindset to attackers. You could say from an attacker’s point of view there’s reflexes but from a defender’s point of view, their minds are solely on defending.

“Luiz has let his runner go, it’s lazy and he’s tried to pull him back. It’s a blatant one.”