RACE STORM
Spurs fan arrested for throwing banana skin at Aubameyang ++ FA to probe mass bust-up between players ++ Smoke bombs hurled into Tottenham end
SPURS FAN ARRESTED FOR THROWING BANANA AT AUBAMEYANG
ARSENAL’S euphoric north London derby win was marred by a series of ugly incidents including a Tottenham fan being arrested for throwing a banana skin at Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Metropolitan Police were last night investigating whether the incident was racially motivated.
On the weekend when the Premier League backed the Rainbow Laces campaign to encourage tolerance and diversity, images of Aubameyang celebrating in front of Tottenham fans with a banana skin at his feet were a throwback to the darker days of English football.
The Football Association are set to investigate the flashpoint — this morning they will speak to representatives from both clubs — and images and CCTV footage are likely to prove crucial. However, the FA’s jurisdiction is only over the clubs and not the individual in question.
Tottenham moved quickly to condemn the supporter last night by issuing a statement.
‘Behaviour such as this is completely unacceptable and the supporter in question will be issued with a ban,’ said a Tottenham spokesman.
In total, seven arrests were made by Metropolitan Police officers — two in connection with smoke bombs hurled into the Tottenham end by Arsenal fans. The other four were for public-order offences.
It is understood the arrests for the banana skin and the smoke bombs were made after stewards identified the culprits. CCTV footage was used to confirm their identities.
The FA are also ready to investigate a mass confrontation between both sets of players, substitutes and staff when Eric Dier equalised after Aubameyang’s opener from the penalty spot.
Players had to be separated after Dier celebrated in front of the Arsenal fans. Replays appear to show that the bust-up was sparked when Arsenal substitute Stephan Lichtsteiner, who was warming up, took umbrage at the Spurs celebrations.
FA disciplinary chiefs will wait for referee Mike Dean’s report before deciding on their next step — but it appears likely the official will include the brawl in his account.
At the very least, both clubs will surely be asked to provide their observations on the incident.
On the melee, Dier said: ‘I had my back to it all so I’m not too sure what happened. But this is football. It’s a derby.
‘Football is all about emotion and I don’t understand how I can get a yellow card in that situation. It baffles me because if you take the emotion out of football you’re going to destroy the game for everyone.
‘The ref said he gave me the yellow card because it was because of me that the whole thing started. If you watch it, we’re celebrating, I don’t leave the pitch at any point and some of their players who are on the bench come to us.
‘Their players approached us. I don’t know what’s wrong with it.’
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino left his seat to run down the touchline in a bid to calm his players down.
And the Argentine said: ‘In that moment, it was trying to put calm in our play. At 1-1, it was a massive fight there but I didn’t know what was going on in that moment.
‘I didn’t know what happened but sometimes these situations happen. I don’t know if it was the celebration of Dier.’
Arsenal manager Unai Emery said of the flare-up: ‘It is the moment on the pitch where the players are feeling very big emotions and also their hearts (are racing).’
Mesut Ozil’s future at Arsenal was thrown into further doubt after he was omitted from the matchday squad ‘with a back injury’.
Emery was abrupt when asked about Ozil’s absence, merely saying: ‘He has back ache.’ Asked when Ozil sustained the injury, Emery replied: ‘I don’t know.’