Arsenal become first Premier League club to welcome fans back amid pandemic

English Premier League side Arsenal smashed Rapid Vienna 4-1 at the Emirates in Thursday's Europa League match, and that result was particularly memorable for 2,000 supporters. 

As Kieran Canning wrote for Agence France-Presse (h/t Yahoo Sports), Arsenal became the first top-flight English club to welcome fans to a stadium in 270 days since the COVID-19 pandemic caused the temporary stoppages of football competitions around the world. 

Under "Project Restart" guidelines, spectators were not permitted to venues when the Premier League resumed play in June to complete the 2019-20 season. The league remained behind closed doors from when the current campaign began in September through the first couple of days in December. 

Per an ESPN story, London falls under Tier 2 government restrictions as it pertains to gatherings, meaning that the Emirates, which normally seats around 60,000 patrons, could be filled with 2,000 fans, most of whom wore face coverings and observed strict social distancing throughout the contest. 

"I'm delighted to have fans back they make a huge difference," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta explained after the match. "We had 2,000 but they were loud and they were supportive to the team so thanks to them for coming and making the effort."

Arsenal players showed their support by saluting those in attendance before kickoff: