Police charge 19-year-old with assault and throwing item on to Everton pitch

Merseyside police have charged a 19-year-old man with assault and throwing an item on to the pitch during Aston Villa’s win at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Roger Tweedle, of Cranehurst Road, Walton, Liverpool, has been released on conditional bail and will appear at South Sefton magistrates court on 28 February.

Two Aston Villa players, Lucas Digne and Matty Cash, were struck by a plastic bottle thrown from the Bullens Road Stand while celebrating Emiliano Buendía’s match-winning goal in first-half stoppage time on Saturday.

Other objects were thrown on to the pitch and Everton are continuing to review CCTV footage in conjunction with police. The club has vowed to ban any fan identified as responsible and could issue a ban independently of any arrests made.

Two men have been arrested by the Metropolitan police after the Chelsea defender Antonio Rüdiger was hit by missiles during Sunday’s Premier League fixture at home to Tottenham.

The men have been taken into custody on “suspicion of throwing objects from the stands”, and inquiries are ongoing, with clubs and the Football Association working with police to identify those responsible.

Rüdiger was hit by a number of objects thrown from the away end in the 73rd minute. Some of the objects thrown are reported to have been lighters. Rüdiger reported the incident to authorities at full-time.

The Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel said: “If this is a new trend we need to act together to make sure that it stops as soon as possible, to protect the fantastic environment and unique atmosphere of England.”

On Monday Chelsea confirmed they were continuing to work with police and Tottenham officials to identify any fans and a spokesperson said “we will collectively take the strongest possible action against them”.

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On Saturday a small number of Manchester City fans invaded the pitch at Southampton after the final whistle as away supporters clashed with stewards, and a drone flew over the Brentford v Wolverhampton Wanderers match, causing a delay.

“We are investigating the fan disorder incidents at the Everton v Aston Villa, Southampton v Manchester City and Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur matches,” an FA spokesperson said. “We are also looking into the events involving the drone at the Brentford v Wolverhampton Wanderers match, [and in all matters] we are liaising with the clubs and police.”

Although the FA has no authority to take action against individual fans, it can discipline clubs if they are found not to have done enough to prevent misconduct.

source: theguardian.com