Everton have confirmed that police arrested a fan at Goodison Park after Aston Villa players Matty Cash and Lucas Digne were hit by a bottle as they celebrated a goal in front of the home supporters on Saturday.
After Emi Buendia glanced in Digne’s cross to give Aston Villa the lead shortly before half-time, the visiting players celebrated in the corner in front of the Everton fans.
Several plastic drinks bottles were thrown at the Aston Villa players from the stands as they celebrated the goal. The majority of those bottles missed the Villa players, but Cash and Digne went down after being struck by a plastic drinks bottle which appeared to be full.
Cash had turned to the Everton fans to celebrate the goal while Digne, who singed for Aston Villa from Everton earlier this month, had been booed throughout the first half on his return to Goodison Park.
Everton worked with police and security staff at Goodison Park during the second half of the Premier League match and confirmed at full-time that they had identified the supporter using CCTV footage.
The club added that their investigation is ongoing and bans will be issued to any supporters found to have thrown an object onto the pitch.
Buendia’s goal proved to be the winner as Duncan Ferguson’s second spell as caretaker manager ended in a 1-0 defeat.
