POLICE have issued a stern warning to Saints fans after seeing an increase in antisocial behaviour at home matches.

Hampshire Constabulary will continue to deal with offenders "robustly", a spokesperson said, following a national rise in fan disorder in the Premier League.

The latest Saints’ home match with Manchester City saw spectators encroach onto the pitch.

Elsewhere in the league, objects were thrown at players in two matches last weekend while, overall this season, football-related arrests are up 47 per cent.

PC Andy Darbyshire, football officer for Southampton Football Club, said: “We have seen an increase in antisocial behaviour and fan disorder at home matches, in line with the national trend.

“We actively work with Southampton Football Club to educate and engage with members of the public involved in low level disorder at matches.

"For the minority of individuals who commit football-related crimes we will continue to deal with them robustly, including prosecution."

The number of fan disorder cases is up to 802 from 547 in 2019-20, the last campaign from which comparable data is available due to behind-closed-doors matches.

On Sunday two men were arrested after objects were thrown at Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger from the away section housing Tottenham fans at Stamford Bridge.

After Aston Villa’s Matty Cash and Lucas Digne were struck by a bottle at Everton on Saturday, a 19-year-old man was charged with assault and throwing an item onto the pitch.

Fan disorder has also been growing on the continent, with Marseille having two matches abandoned after objects were thrown, while a pitch invasion by fans halted the Lens-Lille derby in September.