Ex-Fifa official expects bans as ‘totally unacceptable’ Arsenal footage emerges
The Arsenal fans who threw objects at Rodri when he scored Man City’s winner in their 2-1 victor at the Emirates can expect bans from football.
That is the view of ex-Premier League and Fifa official Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the “totally and utterly unacceptable” reaction to City’s winner on Saturday (1 January).
Rodri prodded home past Aaron Ramsdale in the 93rd minute to extend Pep Guardiola’s side winning run to 11 Premier League games.
He took his shirt off while wheeling away to celebrate in front of the Arsenal fans but was pelted by missiles from the Emirates crowd.
The Mirror reported yesterday (2 January) that the home side face FA action after bottles, missiles and toilet rolls were thrown at the City players.
The game was filled with controversy as Arsenal were denied an early penalty while City were given a spot-kick for Granit Xhaka’s foul on Bernardo Silva.
Gabriel was then sent off for two bookable offences shortly afterwards.
“This really concerned me,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“The missiles in this game are totally and utterly unacceptable.
“It’s very difficult for the club but the facts are that there are lots of cameras trained on the spectators so hopefully those spectators are found out and banned from football.”
Despite the defeat Arsenal remain in fourth place in the Premier League table.
However, they could be leapfrogged by Man United and Tottenham if they win both their games in hand.
In other news, ‘there will be riots outside the Emirates’ after a ‘monster’ Arsenal bid is reported.