Carragher claims Arsenal ‘rub people up the wrong way’ in ‘very strange’ fan behaviour

Jamie Carragher and Thierry Henry have discussed why more neutral fans aren’t rooting for Arsenal to win the Premier League title this season.

The Gunners beat Everton over the weekend to go nine points clear at the top of the Premier League as they look to win their first title for over 20 years.

Man City still have a chance of catching them, though, with Pep Guardiola’s side hosting Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium next month, while they also have a game in hand.

The Citizens won the previous four Premier League titles before Liverpool were victorious last season, while Arsenal last won one in 2003/04.

Despite that, there seems to be more neutrals hoping Arsenal are pipped to the Premier League title by Man City, who have been dominant over the last decade.

Henry said on Sky Sports: “A lot of people are like, anything but Arsenal winning the league. I wanted them (Liverpool) to win the league because I wanted Jamie (Carragher) to win the league, Stevie G (Steven Gerrard) to win the league.

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“Whether I like Liverpool or not, you root for the underdog, the team that couldn’t do it, or failed to win the league. (But) a lot of people don’t want Arsenal to win the league.”

Carragher agreed and added: “I think it’s very strange, and maybe it’s the same with the Carabao Cup final. When you have a team like Man City, who have dominated the past era, most neutrals want the underdog – the team who want the battle.

“But it doesn’t feel that way with Arsenal. Maybe there’s a lot of Man United, or Liverpool fans, even though City is the local rival, and Liverpool have been competing with City for the title (in recent years), they’re looking and thinking, ‘maybe I want City to win it’.

“There is something about Arsenal, and the way they’ve gone about it, whether it’s the style of football, whether it’s Arteta on the side of the pitch, there is something about them – maybe it’s the fanbase, they get a bit of criticism – that maybe rubs people up the wrong way.”

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Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler was one of the most outspoken on Arsenal’s playing style recently and moaned that they waste a lot of time.

Hurzeler said earlier this month: “There was only one team who tried to play football today. There was so many actions (of time-wasting).

“In the end, it’s about the rules. If the Premier League, the referee, allows everything, then it is difficult. They (Arsenal) make their own rules. At the moment I have a feeling that they do their own rules, no matter how they are playing.”

However, Everton boss David Moyes was very complimentary towards Mikel Arteta’s side and reckons Arsenal are one of the two favourites for the Champions League,

Moyes said last week: “Arsenal have been excellent. From the first game of the season. Probably maybe outside PSG, the biggest favourites for the Champions League.

“It’s amazing people have been critical, who are the people who have been critical of them?

“They’re in a great position, have been all season, winning the games. Unless the referees do more on set-pieces – which they really should be doing, to be honest – you’d have to say they are taking all the advantages they can get. They have an incredible squad.”