Arsenal issue strong statement after fan invades pitch

Arsenal have strongly condemned the act by a pitch invader who pushed Manchester United defender Chris Smalling after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his penalty.

The pitch invader crossed the grass television cameras which caught him pushing Smalling in the back before proceeding to celebrate with Arsenal players. The incident came hours after Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish had been hit by a pitch invader in a Championship match against Birmingham City. 

“We utterly condemn the behavior of the individual who ran onto the pitch and approached Chris Smalling during today’s match. We would like to apologize to Chris and Manchester United and are pleased that the individual was apprehended and arrested.

“We will be working closely with the Metropolitan Police in their investigation. The individual will also be banned from Arsenal matches home and away. Our matchday staff receive ongoing training on managing incidents such as this.”