Why Arsenal fans will delight in Neal Maupay’s misfortune after ‘cry-baby’ gesture to celebrate ‘Panenka’ against Manchester United

Luis Suarez, Diego Costa, and now Neal Maupay: the Brighton striker is the latest in an illustrious line of Premier League wind-up merchants.

Brentford fans will tell you he’s one of those players absolutely adored by his club’s fanbase – and despised by everyone else’s.

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Maupay gave away a penalty in the last second of the game

And he was at the centre of things as Brighton somehow lost 3-2 to Manchester United on Saturday.

Having scored the penalty which opened the scoring, VAR punished Maupay after the full-time whistle had gone for a handball in the last second of the game.

Despite hitting the bar five times, having 18 shots, and equalising in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Maupay and Brighton were condemned to defeat.

Most of the football world will be sympathetic, but not Arsenal fans.

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Maupay was at it again on Saturday

After already becoming public enemy No.1 at Arsenal last season, the Frenchman riled up Manchester United with an outrageous penalty on Saturday.

Up against David de Gea, who saved from Crystal Palace’s Jordan Ayew last week, Maupay showed absolutely no respect by sitting the goalkeeper down with a ‘Panenka’.

De Gea had already dived and stood back up by the time Maupay’s cheeky dink hit the back of the net.

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De Gea was left red-faced

And, like all great wind-ups, the Brighton striker didn’t stop there.

He proceeded to celebrate in front of the cameras with a cry-baby gesture, referencing his feud with Arsenal and Matteo Guendouzi.

Maupay infuriated the entire Gunners team last season for his involvement in Bernd Leno’s long-term injury, which he insists was accidental.

He then added insult to injury (quite literally) by netting a last-gasp winner for Brighton, before Guendouzi went for his throat.

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Guendouzi went straight for Maupay at full-time

Speaking after the game, Maupay accused Arsenal of arrogance and insisted they ‘need to learn humility’ as it emerged Guendouzi apparently taunted the Brighton players about their wages.

But as Maupay celebrates scoring goals in the Premier League, Guendouzi hasn’t featured for Arsenal since that match in June.

So with every celebration, you’d think Maupay has had the last laugh, but maybe not today.