TASTELESS TAUNT

Guendouzi earnings boast at Brighton

MATTEO Guendouzi has remarkably escaped an FA ban for grabbing Neal Maupay by the throat as it emerged that the Arsenal midfielder made tasteless insults to Brighton players on Saturday.

TV footage shows Guendouzi tussling with striker Maupay after the final whistle of Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat, a flashpoint that sparked a mass confrontation between the teams.

But the FA confirmed the 21-year-old French midfielder will not face a violent conduct charge because the incident, although missed by referee Martin Atkinson, was reviewed by VAR.

However, Guendouzi’s conduct during the game has been called into question as it emerged he was at the centre of Maupay’s comments that Arsenal players lacked humility.

Sources claim Guendouzi, who earns in the region of £40,000 a week, spent the game taunting Brighton players about the financial disparity between the squads.

Arsenal’s top earner Mesut Ozil earns £350,000 a week while Brighton’s wage ceiling is somewhere in the region of £50,000 a week.

Maupay accused Arsenal players of arrogance following the win, and Sportsmail understands his remarks were primarily aimed at Guendouzi.

It is also claimed Guendouzi blamed Maupay for the injury suffered by goalkeeper Bernd Leno, and was generally disparaging about the quality of players in the Brighton team.

‘He was saying the Brighton players were s*** and that he and his team-mates earn so much more than they ever will,’ a source said. ‘He’s done it in other games as well. Arsenal are a decent club and hate that sort of behaviour.’

Both Arsenal and Brighton have been warned and reminded of their responsibilities following the skirmishes.

Former Arsenal midfielder Perry Groves has urged manager Mikel Arteta to ensure Guendouzi falls into line. ‘I’ve heard a few things about Guendouzi’s attitude. You want your players to be confident and a bit arrogant on the pitch but he’s not good enough to go around giving people verbals,’ Groves told talkSPORT.

‘If Maupay’s been getting it in the ear all game from Guendouzi and he then goes and scores the winner, he is right to say, “What have you got to say now?”

‘Someone, whether it’s Arteta, the coaching staff or the senior players, needs to tell Guendouzi to wind his neck in.’

Arteta has been keeping a close eye on Guendouzi’s attitude since axing him from his squad for the game against Newcastle in February as a result of what he felt was an unsatisfactory level of profes