Arsenal v Cologne: Europa League LIVE scores, updates and highlights from the Emirates
20:31: BREAKING: Arsenal say that the situation is under control and that the game will kick-off at 9.05pm.
20:30: Updates from our reporter Alex Wood, at the Emirates Stadium.
The Emirates Stadium is on lockdown following crowd trouble from Cologne fans. Ticketless fans from the Bundesliga outfit have turned up in their thousands and tried to force entry into the stadium.
Fighting has also taken place around Drayton Park tube. As a result, Arsenal have opted to put the kick off time back by one hour in the interests of crowd safety.
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Cologne supporters had been on the rampage earlier through Oxford Circus and Soho.
It’s thought around 20,000 fans have travelled from Germany despite an official ticket allocation of 2900.
All turnstiles now locked. Reporters aren’t allowed to leave. Helicopter heard over the ground.
TWITTER ROUND-UP
Gareth: I’m sure a few phone calls to Millwall and this Arsenal situation could’ve been sorted hours ago!
Cheney: What’s the point in travelling all the way to another country and ruining the game/ evening for everyone?
Erik: If you think the scenes in the Emirates Stadium is crazy, imagine how crazy it will get during the 2018 World Cup in Russia!
20:20: Cologne can’t say they weren’t warned!
Ahead of the delay, Arsenal’s official website warned Cologne fans they faced being asked to leave the stadium if they purchased tickets in the home sections of the ground.
“Please note visiting supporters that purchase a ticket in the home end for this fixture are likely to be ejected from the stadium,” a statement on their website read.
20:15: There’s a bunch of videos circling around Twitter of Cologne fans completely taking over the Arsenal sections. Judging by the amount of people in the home section joining in with this Cologne chant, segregation is a major issue still.
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Arsenal v Cologne: Europa League LIVE scores, updates and highlights from the Emirates
20:10: Riot police have arrived! Reports are saying that the situation is ‘easing’ and we should still be starting at 21:05.
20:07: Blimey. Having begun to let some Cologne supporters into the stadium, fights are now breaking out.
The Cologne supporters who bought tickets for the home end are fighting with stewards to reach the away section. I really don’t know if this match is going to take place tonight folks.
20:05: Hundreds of Cologne supporters were being held behind a police cordon as order was being restored in and around the away turnstiles.
No further delays were anticipated but another problem occurring was the number of away fans attempting to enter the home sections of the stadium with legitimate tickets.
Earlier today, Cologne supporters flooded into central London as around 20,000 fans of the Bundesliga side were expected in the capital despite only 3,000 tickets being available.
Fans took to the streets in their numbers, with social media posts showing hordes of supporters singing and marching around Oxford Circus hours before the scheduled 20:05BST kick-off.
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Arsenal v Cologne: Europa League LIVE scores, updates and highlights from the Emirates
Arsenal v Cologne: Europa League LIVE scores, updates and highlights from the Emirates
20:00: Evening folks, I’ve just witnessed an absolute shambles in Italy with Everton being thrashed 3-0 by Atalanta, and apparently there’s another circus unfolding in North London?! I’ll explain the situation.
19:25: “The kick-off of Arsenal v Cologne has been delayed by an hour in the interests of crowd safety,” the Gunners have tweeted.
19:20: Arsenal are saying that the sheer volume of Cologne supporters outside the stadium is preventing home fans getting in. Remember, the Bundesliga side have brought 20,000 with them to London.
19:15: Bad news folks. Tonight’s match at the Emirates has been delayed by an hour because of crowd congestion. That means Arsenal v Cologne will NOT start until 21:05.
Arsenal XI: Ospina, Holding, Mertesacker, Monreal, Bellerin, Iwobi, Elneny, Maitland-Niles, Walcott, Giroud, Sanchez.
Subs: Macey, Wilshere, Mustafi, Reine-Adelaide, Kolasinac, Akpom, Nelson.
Cologne XI: Timo Horn, Klunter, Mere, Heintz, Rausch, Hector, Bittencourt, Hoger, Lehmann, Zoller, Cordoba.
Subs: Kessler, Sorensen, Risse, Jojic, Osako, Guirassy, Jannes Horn.
Referee: Javier Estrada Fernande.
PREVIEW
Arsene Wenger will rest a host of first-team players when Arsenal begin their Europa League campaign at home to Cologne.
Petr Cech, Laurent Koscielny, Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil, Danny Welbeck, Granit Xhaka and Alexandre Lacazette will all be rested for the visit of the Bundesliga side.
Jack Wilshere could make his first Arsenal appearance in over a year while Alexis Sanchez may also feature, but Francis Coquelin (hamstring) and Santi Cazorla (ankle) are out.
Arsenal provisional squad: Ospina, Macey, Mertesacker, Holding, Monreal, Pleguezuelo, Mustafi, Bellerin, Nelson, Kolasinac, Wilshere, Willock, Elneny, McGuane, Giroud, Walcott, Iwobi, Sanchez, Nketiah.
Seven of Arsenal’s first-choice players will be rested completely from the game with Petr Cech, Laurent Koscielny, Alexandre Lacazette, Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsey, Danny Welbeck and Mesut Ozil all sitting this one out.
That does not necessarily mean it will be a team of inexperienced youngsters as Jack Wilshere could make a long-awaited comeback while Alexis Sanchez may feature as he strives for match sharpness.
Back-up David Ospina is likely to come in, while the likes of Shkodran Mustafi, Per Mertesacker, Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud are also in contention.