Fans go wild for Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ cool penalty as he laughs after beating Liverpool’s Adrian

Ainsley Maitland-Niles had nerves of steel as he scored what may have been one of the most causal penalties to date during Arsenal‘s shootout victory over Liverpool on Thursday.

The 23-year-old completed a very casual, slow, run up before slotting it past Liverpool goalkeeper Adrianin the fourth round of penalties.  

Fans were quick to highlight Maitland-Niles’ goal celebration towards the Reds keeper, while Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta joked that the midfielder’s ice cold body language almost gave him a ‘heart attack’.

Mikel Arteta joked that Ainsley Maitland-Niles’s ice cool penalty almost gave him a heart attack

While Arsenal fans were quick to focus on Maitland-Niles laughing at Adrianin after scoring

After the game, Arteta said: ‘I told him in the dressing room, I’m going to have a heart attack because of his body langauge!’  

While fans referred to Maitland-Niles as having ‘ice in his veins’ and the ‘cheekiest penalty taker’. 

One fan Tweeted: Maitland-Niles has to be one of the best and cheekiest pk takes I have ever seen. Man has ice in his veins…’ 

Another supporter shared their thoughts online, drawing drew similarities between Maitland-Niles and Pele when he steps up to take a penalty. 

They said: ‘Ainsley Maitland-Niles turn into prime Pele when he gets to the penalty spot. Cold as ice’. 

Fans also flocked to Twitter to discuss how Maitland-Niles celebrated his penalty by laughing at the Liverpool keeper as he returned to the half-way line.  

The pair seemed to have exchanged words prior to the penalty, making the goal even more sweet for the midfielder.