Premier League to meet with police this week to discuss rise in crowd disorder

The Premier League will meet with police this week to discuss concerns over increased incidents of crowd behaviour and disorder.

Last weekend there were incidents in two separate matches of objects being thrown at players while, overall this season, there has been an increase of 47 per cent in football-related arrests.

The number of cases is up to 802 from 547 in 2019-20, the last campaign from which comparable data is available due to behind-closed-doors matches.

There have also been more incidents of fans encroaching onto the pitch, the latest coming during Southampton’s home match with Manchester City.

The Premier League is working collaboratively with the Football Association and EFL and will meet the United Kingdom Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) to discuss recent issues.

While all clubs have developed security and safety policies with their local forces, it is understood the Premier League will discuss with the UKFPU what actions can be taken to reduce incidents.

On Sunday two men were arrested after objects were thrown at Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger from the away section housing Tottenham fans at Stamford Bridge.

After Aston Villa defenders Matty Cash and Lucas Digne were struck by a bottle at Everton on Saturday, a 19-year-old man was charged with assault and throwing an item on to the pitch.

Fan disorder has also been growing on the continent, with Marseille having two matches abandoned after objects were thrown while a pitch invasion by fans halted the Lens-Lille derby in September.

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