Jakub Kiwior insists he was fouled in the build-up to Brighton’s opener in response to criticism

Jakub Kiwior has maintained he was fouled in the run-up to Brighton’s first goal, despite criticism from Gary Neville and Roy Keane after Arsenal’s hopes of winning the Premier League were all but dashed on Sunday.

After a goalless first half, Roberto De Zerbi’s side swept the Gunners in the second period of the game to beat the Gunners 3–0 at the Emirates Stadium, with Julio Enciso opening the scoring and taking advantage of a disorderly Arsenal- defense.

Oscar Estupinan broke off the left wing and played a bouncing cross into a melee of players in the penalty area. One of these was Kiwior, who, while marking Enciso, appeared to be met by Evan Ferguson, as his boot came off.

The Polish centre-back fell to his feet and appeared to be in some pain after coming together with the Brighton striker, but left his man unmarked in the box, allowing the Paraguayan to go home and give the home side the lead. .

After the game, Neville and Micah Richards exchanged in a debate over whether Kiwior committed a foul in the build-up, but the Arsenal man has had his say on the incident, claiming the goal should have been ‘crossed out’.

Kiwior (left) went down after colliding with Evan Ferguson, leaving Julio Enciso unmarked in the box

Arsenal would suffer a terrible 3-0 defeat which would see their title hopes go up in flames

“I felt contact and lost my boot and didn’t even see the goal,” the central defender told Viaplay after the game.

“I hoped that the VAR would intervene and sign off the goal, but unfortunately the referee saw it differently.

“After we took the second, our heads fell down and we couldn’t get back.”

During the match, Neville said the defender should have got back to his feet despite losing one of his boots to defend the approaching threat from Brighton.

He told Sky Sports: “As a centre-half you just have to get up and let the attack finish?”

He also said he thought Keane and Patrick Vieira would both have something to say about Kiwior’s defense after the match and he was right as the former Arsenal midfielder admitted that Kiwior was not fouled by Ferguson.

“I think the question you have to ask is whether it’s intentional,” Vieira said. “And I don’t think that offense is intentional. I think it’s kind of like, the contact, yeah. But to be harsh, that goal should be allowed.

“You expect your centre-back to be strong enough to stay there and defend first,” he added.

Neville also agreed with the Frenchman, saying: “I didn’t see it as a challenge on the centre-back position. We’re just looking at something that looks like him [Ferguson’s] done to him, but he is not. He just ran to the nearest pole and he’s with someone else.’

Keane, meanwhile, criticized Kieran Tierney for not handling the first cross before saying Kiwior should have rejected it and continued to defend.

“You’re talking about risking your body and defending this last-ditch thing,” he said. “You don’t lie like that because his boot came off.”

But Micah Richards rallied to the central defender’s defense and when asked if he thought Kiwior had a case, he said: “I actually think that’s a foul.”

“Ferguson’s foot just touches him. And I know the guys will say he could have been stronger. But his boot goes off.

Gary Neville (pictured) criticized Kiwior’s defense during the game, saying he was not fouled

Meanwhile, Micah Richards defended center back and felt he had been fouled

But it was a disappointing game for Arsenal, who were second best to Brighton for shots and possession

The Gunners are now four points behind Man City with two games left to play this season

“People say you have to be stronger – of course you can. You have to win to get the three points. But he has no boot on his foot. I think that’s a violation and I think that goal should have been disallowed.’

A disallowed goal could have changed the game, but statistically Brighton looked the better side, with more shots on target and more possession than the Gunners.

Arsenal failed to find the back of the net, succumbing to a dismal defeat, and as a result have now dropped points in five of their last seven league matches.

The result means Mikel Arteta’s side are now four points behind Manchester City, who sit at the top of the Premier League table.