Arsenal fans are forking out more than £10,000 for the chance to see their team lift the Premier League trophy. Touts are charging eye-watering sums for the Gunners' final match of the season at Crystal Palace on Sunday. Arsenal are currently five points ahead of nearest rivals Manchester City. Pep Guardiola's men need to win at Bournemouth tonight to take the title race to the final day. If Arsenal beat Palace at Selhurst Park, they will be crowned champions for the first time since 2004.
Massive Ticket Prices
Money appears to be no obstacle for Gunners followers desperate to see captain Martin Odegaard lift the trophy. The match in south London is a 25,000 sell-out, but tickets are changing hands for huge sums on online resale sites. One site, livefootballtickets.com, is selling away end tickets for over £33,000. Another site, Ticombo.com, has seen Arsenal fans pay over £10,000 for a seat in the visitors' section. The cheapest tickets available online are selling for £1,300 in the home sections.
Security Measures
Palace bosses have warned any Arsenal fans found in home sections of the ground will be ejected. The club has also announced 'enhanced security measures' for the 4pm kick-off. Ticket sharing has been disabled, and supporters found sharing a ticket face a ban next season. Just over 3,000 tickets have been allocated to Arsenal's loyal away fans. The Metropolitan Police is expected to draft in extra officers for the hugely anticipated game. Ticketless Gunners fans will pack into pubs on Holloway Road and near their Emirates stadium.
Historical Context
Arsene Wenger was the Arsenal manager when they last won the league 22 years ago. Frenchman Thierry Henry, now a Sky TV pundit, finished top scorer with 30 goals. Many football observers believed Arteta's men had 'bottled' the title after they lost to Bournemouth and Manchester City last month. But they have won all four games since the City defeat, while their rivals dropped two points in a 3-3 draw with Everton. Sunday's match is being billed as the biggest for the Gunners since their 1989 final-day victory over Liverpool. Michael Thomas scored a dramatic injury-time winner at Anfield to clinch the title for George Graham's men.
Double Celebration Hopes
Arsenal are hoping for a double celebration when they take on Paris St Germain in the Champions League final on May 30. More than 20,000 are expected to travel to Budapest for the game. Thousands more will watch the match on big screens at the Emirates Stadium.
