Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has revealed he was still coming to terms with his wife’s miscarriage as he was assaulted after Arsenal’s north London derby win at Tottenham last season. The 25-year-old had kept a clean sheet as the Gunners won at the home of their neighbours on 15 January to keep their Premier League title ambitions alive. As Ramsdale collected his water bottle from behind the goal, Spurs fan Joseph Watts leapt onto the advertising hoarding and aimed a boot at the his back. Watts was eventually given a four-year banning order having been charged with assault and throwing a missile onto the pitch. Speaking immediately after the game, Ramsdale told Sky Sports: “It’s a shame because it’s just a game of football at the end of the day. I think both sets of players tried to bring me away. Thankfully nothing actually happened too drastic. It’s a sour taste.” Now the England international has explained that he was already dealing with pain in his private life before the incident at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. “There are things that go on in our lives that the public has no idea about, and the past year has been an emotional rollercoaster for me and my family,” he wrote for The Players’ Tribune. “After the high of climbing to the top of the Premier League table and going off to my first World Cup, my wife and I found out that we were expecting our first child. “Mikel (Arteta) gave me a few extra days off after the World Cup, so we went on a brief holiday. It was genuinely the happiest time of our lives. And yeah ... there’s no easy way to say this, but I feel like it’s important that people know. “On the flight home, my wife had a miscarriage. “There’s really no way that I can describe the pain of that six-hour flight back to London, even now. I just want people out there to know that they’re not alone if they’re going through it themselves.” Arteta offered Ramsdale additional time off - “in the middle of the title race, with so much pressure on the club... for me, that’s a manager” - but he opted to play on. “Three days later, we were playing Spurs in the derby, and for me that was the only way to get my mind off things. Football has always been my escape. I told the manager I wanted to play,” he added. “It couldn’t have been a better night. We won 2-0 under the floodlights, and our away fans were going absolutely ballistic. If you watch the match back, you can see me beaming at the final kick of the ball. I went to get my water bottle behind the goal, and never in a million years would I ever think that I’d get kicked in the back by a Tottenham fan. “I’ve had some very spicy banter with fans all over the English leagues. I’ve been called everything you can imagine. But it’s never crossed the line like that. I remember when I got back to the dressing room, I couldn’t even celebrate because I got pulled out to give a police statement.” “You know, I almost felt bad for the bloke who had done it, because I thought to myself: If he only knew me as a person, and what I’m actually going through right now, there’s no way that he would’ve done that. If we bumped into each other one day and got chatting about football, we’d probably be mates.” Ramsdale, who is now expecting a baby with wife Georgina, also wrote about the challenges faced by his brother, who is gay, and wants to see football become a sport that is a “welcoming place for everyone”. “I want my brother, Ollie - or anyone of any sexuality, race or religion - to come to games without having to fear abuse,” he wrote. “And when we lift a trophy at the Emirates Stadium, I want my brother there with me.” The Gaygooners group of LGBT+ Arsenal fans welcomed the support of Ramsdale, who signed off his letter with “Love you, bro”. “We’re so very proud to have aaronramsdale98 as a true ally and for being so brave to talk about such important issues,” Gaygooners wrote on Twitter. “We can’t wait to be cheering you on this season Aaron!” Read More A new era for old empires? How a summer of rebuilding could change the Premier League How the Women’s World Cup delivered its greatest ever group stage — against all the odds Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus to miss start of season after knee surgery Erik ten Hag happy with display in Manchester United’s victory over Arsenal Manchester United seize on errors to beat Arsenal in New Jersey Women’s World Cup LIVE: Latest news and updates as England prepare for last-16

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Unai Emery stressed the importance of Aston Villa remaining consistent as the season goes on after the 3-1 win over Fulham. The result at Villa Park saw the midlands outfit make it six wins out of six at home in the Premier League this season and equal the post-war club record for successive top-flight home victories, matching the 13 in a row achieved in 1983. Boss Emery, whose fifth-placed side are a point outside the top four, said: “We are now (on league match) 12 – there are still 26 matches to play. “It’s a lot and of course to be consistent is the most important thing, when you are trying to build and to create a team and a structure and mentality. “It’s the reason of course we can maintain the position like we are now, but it’s going to be very difficult and a challenge. We are going to face each match trying to focus (on) it. “Now we are in the top five, it’s I think a moment to enjoy, to be happy – and to try to analyse, even now winning, how we can improve, how we can keep being consistent.” Marking a return to winning ways in the league after last Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Nottingham Forest, this result was a second home triumph in four days for Villa, with Emery’s men having defeated AZ Alkmaar 2-1 in the Europa Conference League on Thursday to leave them on the brink of qualifying from their group. They were two up at the break against Fulham following an Antonee Robinson own-goal and a 42nd-minute strike from skipper John McGinn, while Ollie Watkins subsequently added a third in the 64th minute for his 11th goal of the season in all competitions. Raul Jimenez, who had seen a shot tipped against a post by Emiliano Martinez early in the second half, pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 70th minute – the former Wolves man’s first Premier League goal since March 2022. Emery said: “At home, we are feeling very good here. We are connected with our supporters, trying to (have) full, positive energy, and… in each circumstance we are trying to adapt, improving the team, the players, our tactical work. I think it is going well. “Here, for example, I think the first half was a very good first half. We created chances, but overall we controlled the game, avoiding the transition. It was fantastic. “The second half was more hard. They scored one goal, had chances and were trying to work, thinking about the possibility to come back, and we avoided it.” Villa resume after the international break with away games against Tottenham and Bournemouth, either side of a Europa Conference League home match against Legia Warsaw, and then host Manchester City and Arsenal in the league. Emery added: “Of course I am happy and I can take my days off as well relaxing with the result we had, with the moment we are now in the table, and in the Conference (League) as well. “But I know full well each match is a new challenge, and I am going to take some days resting, but of course my mind is in Tottenham, and in Bournemouth, and in Legia Warsaw, and in Villa Park again with Manchester City and Arsenal.” Read More Jurgen Klopp hits out at lunchtime scheduling of Liverpool-Man City clash I don’t like English referees – Roberto De Zerbi unhappy after Brighton held We’ve just thrown it away – Steve Cooper frustrated as Forest lose at West Ham Katie Boulter and Harriet Dart lead Britain to Billie Jean King Cup win over Sweden Brighton gift draw to Sheffield United after own goal and red card Aston Villa equal club-record home winning run by sweeping aside Fulham

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