There was apprehension among home supporters at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday. A fear of defeat, a regret that this fixture, the north London derby, was not being played a month earlier when Arsenal were limping towards the exit of Jonas Eidevall as manager. The mood was up too; 28,852 fans were in attendance and in good spirits, regardless of the result they may have expected.
That’s only 46% of the stadium’s capacity but it felt comfortably full, the lower tier packed and a spray of fans extending into the upper. The large pocket of Arsenal followers in the corner were in full voice, scarves spinning, a block of red and white set against the deep blue and white around them. It was a normal matchday, the rivalry there, but as with most women’s football matches there was a family-friendly feel. It’s not manufactured – it doesn’t need to be. It is just a natural consequence of cheaper tickets that would likely extend to men’s matches if people could afford to take their families.
