Everton's late defeat to Arsenal may have been more significant for the Gunners than the Toffees in terms of on-field success this season, but the two late goals from Viktor Gyokeres and Max Dowman have caused a stir on Merseyside due to what occurred in the away end at the end of the match.
Those at the match reported a scuffle among Everton fans in the Emirates Stadium's away end on Saturday night, but the story became so much deeper when, after the match, Everton striker Thierno Barry posted on social media that it was his friends who had been victims of an attack.
Barry slams Everton fans on social media
Posting on Instagram alongside a video of the fighting in the away end, Barry posted:
“This kind of behaviour is not acceptable in a stadium. I bring my friends to enjoy a game, and it gets ruined by a few silly people. Football should be a place where everyone feels safe and respected. This type of attitude has no place in the game and is simply not tolerated in football.
“My friends and the people who were attacked had to be escorted by Arsenal's security staff as well as the police because of fears of retaliation from our supporters.”
Everton striker Thierno Barry invited his friends into the away end.
— EPL Bible (@EPLBible) March 15, 2026
The Everton fans were not happy that they decided to celebrate Arsenal scoring… 🤐pic.twitter.com/ybma77kbPV
It didn't take long for Everton fans who had been at the match to respond to Barry's post, which provided some further context behind the incident. The general consensus among the travelling Everton fans was that Barry's friends had attended the match in Arsenal shirts and had celebrated after the Gunners scored their two goals at the death.
Everton have since released the following statement:
“Violent or disorderly behaviour is completely unacceptable and has no place in football. It does not reflect the passionate and loyal support Everton receives both home and away. The club will work with the relevant authorities to establish the facts and take any appropriate action.”
FGG: Let's wait for the facts
Nobody should be jumping the gun here on what has or hasn't happened in the Everton away end, so it's important that we wait for the full story before casting judgment. It is extremely difficult to justify assault in any case, but at the same time, if Barry's friends have entered an away end with the opposing team's colours on, then they have been incredibly naive, at best.