Crystal Palace fan arrested for running onto pitch to confront Damien Delaney during Sunderland loss

Arrested: Crystal Palace fan angrily confronts Damien Delaney
Rex Features
Vaishali Bhardwaj4 February 2017

A Crystal Palace fan was arrested on Saturday after running onto the Selhurst Park pitch and trying to confront defender Damien Delaney as the Eagles trailed Sunderland 4-0.

The incident occurred during half-time of Palace's Premier League clash at home to fellow relegation battlers Sunderland after goals from Lamine Kone and Didier Ndong along with a brace from Jermain Defoe handed the visitors a surprise 4-0 lead at the break.

The scoreline resulted in Palace fans chanting "you're not fit to wear the shirt" to the players before one fan decided to run onto the pitch and attempt to confront Delaney.

Stadium security staff were forced to restrain the 23-year-old before police later confirmed he was arrested under the Football (Offences) Act 1991 for running onto the pitch.

Angry fan: A man stormed the pitch during half-time
Rex Features

The man remains in custody at a south London police station.

Delaney did not come back out of the changing room after the incident as Palace boss Sam Allardyce decided to make a tactical change by replacing the centre-back with Andros Townsend, though it did not change the final scoreline.

In Pictures | Crystal Palace vs Sunderland | 4/02/2017

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Palace sit in 19th place in the Premier League standings following the heavy defeat, two points off safety.

Meanwhile, police also confirmed a 16-year-old was arrested during the game after a firework was set off. He is in custody at a south London police station.

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