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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says teams with 2,000 fans will have advantage over Tier 3 rivals

 (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
(Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta believes Premier League teams who have fans for their home matches will have an advantage over those who don’t.

The Gunners welcomed back supporters for the first time since March on Thursday for their Europa League match with Rapid Vienna.

Arsenal cruised to an easy 4-1 win at the Emirates Stadium and afterwards Arteta hailed the impact the returning 2,000 supporters made.

The Gunners are one of ten Premier League sides who can welcome fans back domestically after they were placed in Tier 2 of the Government’s Covid-19 guidelines.

There are also ten teams, however, who are under harsher restrictions in Tier 3 and therefore unable to host spectators.

Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Arsenal FC via Getty Images

And asked if those teams who could welcome fans back now would have an advantage, Arteta replied: “Probably because this sport without fans is completely different.

“Everything is flatter, the players lose a little bit of purpose and emotion. It is something that you want to share.

“At the end of the day, we are here to entertain, we are here to make the fans enjoy.

“They have a huge passion for our football club and when they are able to transmit that, it gets directly into the players. For me, to have them here home or away, it is always different because of them.”

Gunners fans revelled in seeing their team in acton for the first time this season and were delighted by the result.

Arsenal were comfortable winners against a poor Vienna side, but Arteta thinks fans being there made a difference.

“First of all, delighted to have fans back they make a huge difference,” he said.

“We had 2,000 - but they were loud and they were supportive to the team so thanks to them for coming and making the effort.

“The boys wanted it I could see from the start they wanted it, they were hurt from previous game they showed the attitude and desire that is required.

“We were aggressive, we wanted to put the ball in the box we created chances. Now we have another one on Sunday.”

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