FA launch investigation over Arsenal fans throwing bottles at De Bruyne
The FA are investigating an incident between Kevin de Bruyne and Arsenal fans during Manchester City’s win at the Emirates on Wednesday night, which saw the Belgian pelted with bottles as he made his way off the pitch.
De Bruyne opened the scoring as City inflicted a 3-1 defeat on their Premier League title rivals, before also becoming embroiled in a brief touchline spat with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
The midfielder received a hostile reception from Gunners fans when he was taken off in the late stages of the game, with the home crowd hurling bottles in his direction as he walked around the pitch and headed for the dugout.
In light of the incident, Arsenal are now the subject of an FA investigation and will hand out strict sanctions to any supporters found guilty of throwing objects at De Bruyne on Wednesday night.
Despite this, De Bruyne appeared to see the funny side of his heated encounter with Arsenal fans, with the 31-year-old staring back at them and gesturing as he made his way around the pitch.
He also took to Instagram after the game to poke fun at the incident, writing alongside a picture of himself gesturing to the crowd: ‘Beer anyone?’
De Bruyne then shared another image of a plastic cup heading in his direction and wrote: ‘Thanks!’
Although he is not believed to have been hurt by the objects, De Bruyne was seen kicking bottles off the pitch as he walked off.
One bottle in particular came close to hitting him after Pep Guardiola decided it was time to rest his star player with a two-goal lead in the bag.
As he walked around the corner flag, a bottle could be seen flying towards his head, only for De Bruyne to duck out of the way at the last moment to avoid contact.
He then continued to be followed by the projectiles on his way to City’s bench.
De Bruyne was his side’s star performer on a night which saw them usurp Arsenal as Premier League leaders.
He fired the Citizens in front after just 24 minutes, latching onto a shocking backpass from right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu and lobbing Aaron Ramsdale at his near post – which ended his own 13-game barren spell in front of goal.
The Gunners then levelled just before half-time from the spot, with Bukayo Saka coolly dispatching his penalty kick to make it 1-1.
However, City later made it 2-1 through Jack Grealish after another defensive error was pounced on by the visiting attack.
And De Bruyne then turned provider for Erling Haaland’s 26th of the season to make it 3-1 on the night, cutting the ball back inside the box for the Norwegian striker to take the game beyond Arsenal in the latter stages.
He was also involved in a heated spat with Arteta, which clearly made him an unpopular figure at the Emirates.
As the ball went out for a throw on the touchline, Arteta appeared to let the ball roll past him and impede De Bruyne’s approach to collect it with the score locked at 1-1.
De Bruyne was clearly incensed by the Gunners manager, pushing him as he attempted to retrieve the ball and holding out a finger in warning to the Spaniard.
Arteta and De Bruyne spent two-and-a-half years together at the Etihad when the former served as Guardiola’s assistant manager, winning two Premier League titles and an FA Cup.
