Arsenal star Henrikh Mkhitaryan dedicates Watford win to 'real fans' after thousands of supporters stay away

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James Benge13 March 2018

Henrikh Mkhitaryan dedicated Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Watford to the club’s “real fans” after thousands of supporters stayed away from the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

The Gunners have often been playing to crowds some way below their grounds near-60,000 capacity over recent seasons but the problems have been more pronounced in recent weeks, with even manager Arsene Wenger admitting his concern over empty seats.

Though Arsenal reported that 59,131 tickets had been sold there were several thousand of those that were not taken up, leading to a subdued atmosphere even as Shkodran Mustafi, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan fired the Gunners to a convincing win.

Armenian international Mkhitaryan, who had also found the net in the 2-0 Europa League round of 16 first leg win over AC Milan, was keen to differentiate between those who had backed the team through thick and thin and others who had steered clear of the struggling Gunners.

“We’re always playing for the fans, it doesn’t matter if they could have come today or not,” Mkhitaryan told beIN Sports.

“We’re always playing for those who come and support us; [those] who are really coming and supporting us are real fans.

“[To those] who are coming to the stadium just when we are winning we have nothing to say. Just thanks to the fans who were supporting.”

Those Arsenal fans that stayed away missed out on seeing Mkhitaryan’s partnership with a former Borussia Dortmund team-mate further flower.

Mkhitaryan laid on Aubameyang’s second-half strike with a driving run and elegant through ball before the Gabon striker repaid the favour with 13 minutes remaining.

“I’ve always enjoyed playing with him, it’s something special,” Mkhitaryan said of Aubameyang. “Thanks to him for this goal.

“We have to keep working the same way and to score more goals.”

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