Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest Delayed Due to Ticket System Issues
The Premier League clash between Arsenal and Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon has been delayed due to a problem with the new e-ticketing system at The Emirates. The match was due to start at 12.30pm and has been delayed till 1pm, at the earliest, as supporters are struggling to get into the stadium in north London.
Reports suggested that over 30,000 fans were stuck outside the ground shortly before the match was due to kick-off, unable to get in due to issues with the ticket system.
Arsenal posted an update on social media shortly before the scheduled kick-off time, which read: ‘This afternoon’s game with Nottingham Forest will now kick off at 1pm (UK), due to a delay at the turnstiles.’
What Caused the Delay?
From the start of the new season, entry into The Emirates is only by their new digital pass system, but clearly it is not up to scratch just yet. It appears that the ticket system was unable to cope with the large number of fans trying to get into the stadium, resulting in the delay.
Reaction from Managers
Forest manager Steve Cooper spoke ahead of the game about a seriously tough start to the season for his side, telling TNT Sport: ‘We’re excited. There’s a real focus now to kick-off time and we have to be really focused, you don’t get any tougher away games than today. We’ve got to deliver, commit to the plan. We have to back ourselves – it starts with that and it ends with that.’
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta sprung a surprise with his team selection to open the season, making one change from the team which won the Community Shield, replacing centre-back Gabriel with striker Eddie Nketiah.
‘It is every game demands different things and Eddie [Nketiah] didn’t play last game and has done really well in pre-season and he deserves to play,’ said Arteta.
‘He has been really good and always been a threat. Every game needs different qualities. This is how we start the game and we will probably finish in a very different way.’
Conclusion
The match between Arsenal and Nottingham Forest has been delayed due to issues with The Emirates’ new e-ticketing system. Reports suggest that over 30,000 fans were stuck outside the ground shortly before kick-off, unable to get in due to problems with the ticket system. The match is now scheduled to kick-off at 1pm, at the earliest.
For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.