TOTTENHAM have been forced to ramp up security ahead of Tuesday night’s clash with Manchester City amid fears Arsenal fans have got their hands on home tickets.
Spurs host Pep Guardiola’s title hopefuls in a high-stakes game which could also have a decisive say on the top-four race.
City need to win to remain ahead of the Gunners going into Sunday’s final fixtures.
And Arsenal fans will be hoping arch-rivals Tottenham can do them a huge favour by taking points off the travelling Cityzens.
On the flip side, many Spurs supporters are praying for a major Man City victory – even though that would end their Champions League hopes for good.
And some Spurs regulars will not be present for the game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
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However, the Telegraph claims that a few season ticket holders have looked to cash in on their own absence by selling seats to Arsenal fans.
It means there is a real prospect of some Gooners mixing with other Spurs supporters.
And despite both sets of fans cheering for the same side, it could make for a volatile mixture given their fearsome rivalry the rest of the time.
Last month’s North London derby, at the same venue, saw fans clash with riot police in unsavoury scenes.
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As a result, the Mail claims Tottenham have ramped up security at the last minute for the match with City.
Staff have been instructed to sniff out Arsenal fans and separate them from genuine Spurs followers.
Anyone found to be a Gooner will be swiftly ejected.
Tottenham’s own ground regulations states: “Any individual who has entered any part of the ground designated for the use of any group of supporters to which they do not belong may be ejected from the ground either for the purposes of their own safety or for any other reason.”
The concerns over Arsenal fans in Tottenham seats comes after an Australian Gunner managed to sit with home supporters for last month’s derby.
He watched quietly as Arsenal romped to a 3-2 win.
But at full-time he could not resist unzipping his jacket to reveal the Gunners’ red jersey underneath.
Mikel Arteta’s striker shopping list
By Jordan Davies
ARSENAL are stepping up plans to sign a world-class striker in the summer after their Champions League heartbreak.
Mikel Arteta splashed out £204.5m last summer on Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber.
But the Spanish manager accepts he needs a proven goalscorer to take the club to the next level.
And here are the players he is looking at to get the Gunners firing:
BENJAMIN SESKO (RB Leipzig, value £40m-£45m)
One for the future at 20 years old. Scored 16 goals for RB Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga last season and the Slovenian has carried on that good form in Germany with Leipzig this campaign.
VIKTOR GYOKERES (Sporting Lisbon, value £60m-£80m)
Been scouted several times this season. The Swedish striker, 25, is more of a traditional No 9 so may not suit Arsenal’s demand for flexibility but would bring a physicality that boss Mikel Arteta craves.
ALEXANDER ISAK (Newcastle, value £75m-£85m)
Impressed in his first two seasons in English football. The Swede, 24, has the pace and finesse to match his finishing ability, and Eddie Howe’s Toon may need to sell to balance the books this summer.
JOSHUA ZIRKZEE (Bologna, value £45m-£50m)
Dutch wonder is attracting the attentions of clubs across Europe. At 6ft 4in the 22-year-old forward would have no trouble adapting to the Premier League and already has an eye for goal.
XAVI SIMONS (RB Leipzig, value £70m-£80m)
An incredible talent in the Bukayo Saka mould, currently on loan from Paris Saint-Germain. The future of the Dutch attacker, 20, depends on how much money his parent club want to make from him.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
