Arsenal: Arsene Wenger laments West Ham violence as it could set back arrival of safe standing
Do the violent clashes seen at the London Stadium on Wednesday night hint at a wider problem of crowd trouble in English football?
Not for Arsene Wenger.
The Arsenal manager has dismissed the idea that the unruly disturbances seen between West Ham and Chelsea fans this week, which have already led to a number of arrests, point to a resurgence of hooliganism in the country.
West Ham have pledged to ban up to 200 fans involved in altercations that saw ripped-up seats, coins and bottles hurled between opposing sets of fans, some of whom tried to break through security barriers to get at each other.
"I don't believe there is a hooligan problem in England. You cannot say 200 people is a general problem in the country," said Wenger.
Yet the Arsenal manager, a supporter of standing areas for fans in stadiums, knows how the well publicised images and videos of West Ham and Chelsea fans' behaviour will be perceived by many.
"Personally, I'm in favour of the resurgence of standing opportunities behind the goal and that is not a very good advert," explained the Frenchman.
"It gives an argument especially to people who are against it.
"I feel the closer you are to a position of a player the more passionate it is. It would enable you to have lower prices as you would have more spectators and maybe a more passionate atmosphere."
At Arsenal's annual general meeting on Monday, chief executive Ivan Gazidis said the club would "retain an open mind" toward safe standing.