Neal Maupay responds to Kyle Walker’s claims that he taunted the Man City star about his children in their fiery clash… as football’s chief wind-up merchant insists he has ‘never crossed the line’

Neal Maupay has opened up on recent clashes with Premier League stars that have seen him become the pantomime villain of the division.

Maupay has become somewhat synonymous with winding up fellow pros in recent weeks, first clashing with James Maddison in Brentford’s defeat to Tottenham at the end of January.

He then angered Kyle Walker, and was accused of talking about the full-back’s family on the back of news he had fathered a second child with a different women to his partner.

The forward was slammed for his actions but has insisted he has never crossed a line, denying the allegations around his supposed comments to Walker in his side’s 3-1 defeat to the Champions on February 5.

Speaking to The Times, Maupay claimed ‘everyone would laugh’ if they knew what he really said to Walker, and insisted he is ‘just having fun’ with his on-field antics. 

The pair were involved in a heated exchange as Walker claimed Maupay had made references to  his children

The clash came after it was revealed that Walker had fathered a second child with a different woman to his partner

‘I didn’t think I should have to defend myself for something I didn’t do,’ he said of the clash with Walker. ‘The people who know me, they know I wouldn’t say something like that, but it is a bit unfair because if I don’t talk then people will think I’m guilty.

‘I’m not going to say [what he said], but, if you read my lips properly and find out, everyone would laugh.

‘People say footballers are boring, then all of a sudden a player does this and everyone goes, “Why, Neal? He’s the most disliked player. Blah blah blah”. For me, football is a game, it’s entertainment. I’m just having fun and, on the pitch, I’m trying to do everything to win. If I can say something that puts you off or makes you overthink and make a mistake, I’ll do it.

‘The defenders can be cheeky with it as well. I’m not a crazy guy. We played Wolves last week and nothing happened because their centre backs acted differently.’

The recent focus on Maupay’s actions began when he mimicked James Maddison’s famous darts celebration when he scored the opening goal of Brentford’s 3-2 defeat to Ange Postecoglou’s side.

Maddison ended up confronting the Frenchman on the pitch, and later criticised the move and his goal scoring exploits, which Maupay to responded to on social media by pointing out Maddison’s relegation record.

Maupay also riled James Maddison by copying his darts celebration after scoring at Tottenham

The pair were then involved in an odd exchange after Maddison took exception to the move

They later clashed on social media, with Maddison sharing a picture of the forward’s celebration on social media

Later in the match, Spurs goal scorers Brennan Johnson and Richarlison performed the celebration, seemingly in jest at Maupay. 

‘He took it really personally, it’s funny,’ Maupay said. ‘I threw a dart and he got so offended he posted my picture on his Instagram. But if I give a little something, I have got to be able to take it as well.

‘We didn’t lose against Tottenham because of my celebration. They’d be in big trouble in the league if they needed a player to wind them up to win a game.’