Arsenal Respond to Manchester United Fans After Reduced FA Cup Ticket Allocation

Arsenal have announced they have issued Manchester United a reduced ticket allocation for their FA Cup clash because of safety advice.

The Red Devils are set to travel to London for the fourth-round tie on January 25, but United fans were angered to receive only 8.7 per cent of the ground allocation at the Emirates Stadium. Away fans are entitled to 15 per cent, according to Football Association rules, but the Gunners have said safety concerns have forced them to restrict away fans.

A club spokesman told Press Association Sport that Arsenal believe they have no other option  (h/t the Mirror's Darren Wells and Mark Mann-Bryans):

"We recognise that having more away fans at matches is one of the many reasons why the Emirates FA Cup is so special.

"For the match against Manchester United, the safety assessments we have undertaken, which included liaison with our stadium licensing authority, have made it clear it would not be safe to accommodate visiting fans in the upper tier.

"We take safety of home and away fans at Emirates Stadium very seriously and cannot ignore the results of the robust safety assessments which have been conducted."

Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images

The Manchester United Supporters Trust hit out at the north London giants for not consulting supporters about safety fears before making a decision.

According to Wells and Mann-Bryans, the fan group released a statement that read:

"We are hugely disappointed by the decision to uphold Arsenal's self-interested and hypocritical near-halving of the 15 per cent ticket allocation that should be provided under FA Cup rules.

"The FA must themselves be concerned by this blatant disrespect for their own rule.

"The vibrant atmosphere created by a larger away supporter presence is part of the 'magic of the FA Cup' that is already suffering as a result of other decisions including televising and rescheduling matches - although ironically 11,000 United supporters were willing to meet the resulting travel challenge and now more than half will be denied the opportunity."

United have arguably the biggest away following in England, with fans clamouring for tickets in all competitions when the team is on the road.

Charlotte Duncker of the Manchester Evening News highlighted that Arsenal gave Lincoln City an allocation of 9,000 for their trip to the Emirates in 2017 and also offered Coventry City the same number. However, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Everton have all received vastly reduced ticket allocations by the Gunners, suggesting only supporters of major clubs are being penalised.