UEFA are expected to launch an investigation into crowd trouble at last night’s Europa Conference League meeting between West Ham and Anderlecht during which four police officers were injured and 13 people arrested.
Two officers needed hospital treatment after violent clashes late on in the game at the London Stadium that started when visiting Belgian fans tore up seats and threw flares into the home end.
One man was arrested over the alleged assault of an officer as police intervened to restore calm between the sets of supporters, while another fan was apprehended by security after running onto the pitch and attempting to tackle Hammers goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.
The incidents prompted Anderlecht to issue a statement apologising to the home side for their supporters’ behaviour during West Ham’s 2-1 victory.
“The club will take this onwards with supporters because we don’t tolerate this kind of behaviour, not in our home stadium and not away,” an Anderlecht spokesperson said.
“We will take it up with the fans and definitely UEFA and we strongly condemn this. We want to apologise to West Ham for this behaviour.”
West Ham will wait for the findings from UEFA’s report before deciding upon any further action but manager David Moyes praised the visiting side’s swift response to the trouble.
“It’s very good of the club to come out and say it. Big credit to them,” Moyes told reporters.
“I think everybody’s focus gets taken away when there’s crowd trouble in some way. The players’ job is to get on with it and I thought they did.
“We are in a different society, a different world now and it’s not what any club wants to have connected to them.”
West Ham’s run to the Europa League semi-finals last season was marred by numerous instances of fan trouble, several of which appeared to be instigated by rival supporters, but last week’s trip to Anderlecht passed without incident.
Victory for the Hammers sealed qualification for the knockout phase of the competition with two group matches to spare, while a point at home against Danish side Silkeborg in a fortnight’s time will secure top spot and a bye to the last-16 in the New Year.
Said Benrahma opened the scoring before Jarrod Bowen doubled the lead, and Moyes’s men held on to win despite Sebastiano Esposito’s late penalty.
Bowen’s strike equalled the club’s all-time European scoring record, moving the winger level with Johnny Byrne and David Cross on six goals, and was more evidence of the Englishman returning to last season’s superb form after a slow start to the campaign.
“It certainly is a feather in his cap,” Moyes said. “Maybe there are more European games these days, but it’s still a good thing to have and hopefully he’ll score a lot more. He’s much closer to what he was last year.”
