Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has urged the club’s fans to support the team following a mass boycott that meant around 10,000 seats at the Emirates Stadium were empty last night.
The Gunners beat West Bromwich Albion 2-0 to open up a four-point gap over Manchester United, who currently occupy fifth place in the Premier League table.
However, it wasn’t the scoreline that grabbed the headlines post-match as the stands inside the stadium were extremely empty.
The official attendance on the night was recorded at 59,568 but, according to the Daily Mail, around 10,000 season-ticket holders decided to stay away from the Emirates in protest to club’s form and Wenger’s reign.
The Frenchman told reporters at his post-match press conference: “My message to the fans? Come and support the team. If you love football, you go out there and I think you see quality football.
“That’s what we try to give to our people. It was a special night as well, Thursday night, and I don’t know if you are intelligent enough, nor am I, to detect exactly why everybody that did not turn up tonight did not turn up.”
Asked whether he believed the fans stayed at home as it clashed with Masterchef, Wenger joked: “That’s a good reason maybe [for the game not selling out]!”
Alexis Sanchez scored the only goals of the game as the Gunners ran out easy 2-0 winners.
The Chilean scored his 11th and 12th league goals of the campaign on a comfortable night as Tony Pulis also recorded his ninth defeat away to Arsenal as a manager in as many games.
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