Arsenal have been handed a major boost after escaping punishment from the Football Association (FA) following a complaint from a fan about the club’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
The complaint was made by a supporter who was unhappy with the club’s decision to allow fans to attend matches at the Emirates Stadium despite the government’s advice to avoid large gatherings.
The FA has now ruled that the club did not breach any rules and has cleared them of any wrongdoing.
The news will come as a relief to Arsenal, who have been struggling on the pitch this season and have been in the midst of a turbulent period off it.
The club have been without a permanent manager since Unai Emery was sacked in November and have been linked with a number of potential replacements, including former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino.
Meanwhile, former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has blasted one of the club’s stars for ‘killing everybody’ with his indecision.
Keown was speaking about Mesut Ozil, who has been out of favour under interim boss Freddie Ljungberg and has been linked with a move away from the club in the January transfer window.
Keown said: “He’s killing everybody with his indecision. He’s not playing, he’s not training, he’s not doing anything.
“He’s just sitting there and he’s not helping the team. He’s not helping himself. He’s not helping the club.
“He’s got to make a decision. He’s got to decide whether he wants to stay or go.”
Ozil has been linked with a move to Turkish side Fenerbahce, but the club’s president has recently said that a deal is unlikely to happen in January.
The German international has been at Arsenal since 2013 and has made over 200 appearances for the club, but has been out of favour in recent months.
It remains to be seen what the future holds for Ozil, but it is clear that Keown is not impressed with the midfielder’s lack of action.
The news of the FA’s decision to clear Arsenal of any wrongdoing will come as a welcome relief to the club, who have been struggling on and off the pitch in recent months.
The Gunners are currently languishing in 10th place in the Premier League table and are in desperate need of a spark to reignite their season.
The club are expected to make a decision on a new manager in the coming weeks, with former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino the favourite to take over.
Whoever takes over will have a huge job on their hands to turn the club’s fortunes around, but the news of the FA’s decision to clear Arsenal of any wrongdoing will come as a major boost.