Matt Lawton Chief Sports Correspondent
The Metropolitan Police want to
interview Eric Dier, his brother and the
football fan who was involved in the
altercation at the Tottenham Hotspur
Stadium on Wednesday night.
The Times can reveal that officers
spoke to the Premier League club
yesterday to contact the individuals
involved in an incident that came
shortly after Tottenham’s FA Cup
defeat by Norwich City on penalties.
Dier jumped into the crowd to
confront a supporter who had allegedly
become embroiled in a dispute with the
England midfielder’s younger brother,
Patrick. Video evidence shows Dier
clambering over rows of seats to reach
the supporter, and then pursuing the
man — who can be identified by his
orange hood — when he then tries to
flee. The police have also requested any
relevant CCTV footage.
The involvement of the police, senior
sources have told The Times , means the
investigations of both the Football
Association and Tottenham are likely
to be suspended temporarily. For the
same reason, José Mourinho, the
Tottenham head coach, is unlikely to
answer questions on the matter when
he appears at his pre-match press
conference today.
The FA had given Tottenham three
days to provide an explanation of what
occurred before deciding whether to
issue charges. It is likely that Dier will
be sanctioned, even if there is already
widespread recognition that the 26-
year-old was motivated by a desire to
protect his 22-year-old sibling.
While nobody came to any harm, FA
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are right to think long term
Rugby union, page 65Making best of Curry
Police to quiz
Dier after fan
altercation
disciplinary officials are likely to take
the view that the safety of supporters
was compromised by Dier’s actions. A
friend close to Dier said yesterday that
he was already bracing himself for a
suspension. Now, however, he is facing
a police investigation too.
Dier did not reach the fan and he can
be seen shouting: “That’s my brother,
that’s my brother,” when stewards
intercepted Patrick and the supporter,
whose identity is known to Tottenham
and the police.
Dier and his brother were taken to
the Tottenham dressing room, while
the stewards spoke to the fan. Totten-
ham had been planning to interview
him before the intervention of the
police.
The fan, it is understood, was seated
just in front of the area occupied by the
players’ friends and families. He was
allegedly abusing Dier when he clashed
with the player’s brother, prompting the
former Sporting Lisbon player to leap
over the advertising hoardings and
surge through the crowd.
According to Dier’s friend, who asked
not to be named yesterday, the player
always looks to make eye contact with
his family at the end of matches. On this
occasion, however, he saw his brother
involved in a situation that concerned
him deeply.
The friend said the fan was hurling
abuse at Dier at the conclusion of the
penalty shoot-out, prompting Patrick
Dier — who works in new media — to
confront him and ask: “Why are you
doing that?” The situation turned ugly
and it was at that point that Dier
jumped into the crowd in the West
Continued on page 71ASHLEY DONELON/GETTY IMAGESIghalo fires United to last eight
On-loan forward scores twice in 3-0 FA Cup win over Derby, pages 68-69Handshaking
ban over virus
Martyn Ziegler Chief Sports Reporter
Gary JacobWe owe Wales
one, says Jones
Owen Slot Chief Rugby Correspondent
Alex Lowe Deputy Rugby CorrespondentThe Premier League has banned pre-
match handshakes between players
until further notice citing medical
advice that it can spread coronavirus.
The traditional “fair play” handshake
will not take place with the teams
instead lining up and then walking past
each other without shaking hands.
The move goes beyond Public Health
England’s latest guidance, which says
although refraining from shaking
hands may be advised in the future, “we
are not there yet”. The Football League
(EFL) has so far not advised against
shaking hands by players at its 72 clubs.
A Premier League statement read:
“The Premier League fair-play
handshake will not take place between
players and match officials from this
weekend until further notice based on
Continued on page 69Eddie Jones said that England “owe
Wales one” after announcing his team
for tomorrow’s Six Nations match at
Twickenham.
The head coach has picked a strong
side, with two of his World Cup players
recalled after recovering from injury,
but he said that he had still not got over
England’s Six Nations defeat by Wales
in Cardiff last year.
“We owe them one,” he said. “You
never like to lose to Wales and we lost
last year. It certainly irks me.” He said
he was “sure” it irked his players too.
Anthony Watson, the Bath back-
three player, returns to the right wing
in place of Jonathan Joseph. Mark
Wilson, the Sale Sharks back-row,
comes in at open-side flanker in the
Continued on page 65