Arsenal fans set off fireworks outside Manchester City‘s team hotel at 2am on Tuesday ahead of City’s trip to Tottenham.
There was just one major flaw with the plan – City weren’t there.
Pep Guardiola’s side will face Tottenham tonight and will overtake Arsenal going into the final day of the season if they win.
Members of the Ashburton Army ultras group lit up the night sky with their pyrotechnics in a bid to put City off.
But the Treble winners do not stay overnight ahead of Premier League away fixtures and were still in Manchester, meaning their plan failed.
Arsenal ultras wearing balaclavas set off fireworks outside Man City’s team hotel on Tuesday morning – but the players weren’t there
The pyrotechnics exploded over the road and the hotel in a ferocious display, disturbing guests
The team are staying at Delta Hotels Waltham Abbey in Essex, which travelling clubs often use.
And Arsenal ultras donning ‘Ashburton Army’ hoodies and balaclavas filmed themselves letting off the fireworks at 2am on Tuesday morning.
It was a hugely dramatic display, with explosions being set off on the street and grass outside the hotel.
That said, they would have had to be extremely loud fireworks to trouble City considering the team were still at the other end of the country.
The only people who won’t be on top form today as a result of the night’s events are the other guests who were staying in the hotel, who were woken up by the fire alarm around 45 minutes later.
‘They wasted their little savings…the players ain’t even there,’ wrote one fan on X, formerly Twitter.
‘Seems like Arsenal and their fans can’t do anything right,’ said another.
‘Arsenal fans failing at s***housery as well,’ one wrote.
Manchester City know that a win at Spurs tonight will take them top of the Premier League
Social media users mocked the Arsenal ultras for their failed attempt to disrupt City
‘Ashburton Army setting off fireworks at the hotel where City players were staying is downright disgraceful. Should have snuck in, taken over the kitchen and served up some dodgy lasagna to them. Wasted opportunity, need to do better,’ said one, referencing the ‘lasagna-gate’ defeat by West Ham that cost Spurs a Champions League place in 2006.
The Gunners will be desperate for Spurs to pull off a result tonight.
They have a one-point advantage over City as well as a superior goal difference but have played a game more.
Their final game of the season is at home to Everton on Sunday, whereas City face West Ham at the Etihad Stadium.
By that time City could be two points clear if they beat Tottenham tonight.
Setting off fireworks to disturb teams is not unprecedented.
Arsenal are hoping that Spurs can do them a favour and stop City from overtaking them
Liverpool fans set off fireworks outside Real Madrid’s hotel before a Champions League game in 2023
In February 2023, Liverpool fans had their merry way outside Real Madrid’s hotel on Merseyside ahead of a Champions League clash, a match Liverpool lost 5-2.
They had more success doing it to the Barcelona squad in 2019 ahead of Liverpool’s famous 4-0 win over them.