Why Do Premier League Fans Always Need A Team To Hate? Arsenal Edition | OneFootball

The discourse around Arsenal this season has become interesting to watch from afar as a neutral in the title race. As a Manchester United fan, but for a fleeting 20 seconds before the Newcastle United defeat, the race between Manchester City and Arsenal has been one to try and sit back and enjoy, as much as one Manchester United fan could enjoy two direct rivals vying for a title we should be challenging for.

In particular, one thing has stood out. The hatred towards Arsenal. The villain/heel narrative that the Gunners, whether it be unconsciously or consciously, have been taking on this season. They are the most hated club in the Premier League this season for one reason or another, but it’s not something new within the division amongst the fan base in England’s Premier competition.

Slight hypocrisy?

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND – MARCH 07: Omar Marmoush of Manchester City celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Newcastle United and Manchester City at St. James’ Park on March 07, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

One hypocritical thing that stands out is the fact that they are pushing for the title against Manchester City. The same Manchester City side fans have campaigned against for years, deciding their “oil money” titles were hollow and meant nothing. A team that “bought” the league, at times played boring and suffocatingly possessive football on their way to Premier League titles. This hated Manchester City team have now become the faces of the Premier League. Like Cody Rhodes at Wrestlemania 40, they are tasked with bringing down the big bad wolf Roman Reigns (Arsenal), but this time it’s the heel who needs to finish the story, with the face being the ones hellbent on stopping it.

The argument against Arsenal is that they play “boring” football. Arsenal are certainly risk-averse at times, and they do not play the most exciting brand of football in the division, but they’re efficient in a manner that has to be respected. This is an Arsenal side that, for years, played the most beautiful and expansive brands of football the league has seen under Arsene Wenger, but always seemed to come up short. Universally loved by everyone bar their rivals in the Premier League because they weren’t challenging the status quo, and perennially branded as bottlers.

Arsenal are the best team in the Premier League this season. They may not have the exact best players, but as an eleven and beyond, they are absolutely class in nearly every aspect. Had they got the striker signing right in the summer, the Premier League title race may not even be a question at this stage. It would likely be over with no point of a title race discourse, but Viktor Gyokeres has laboured in that centre-forward role, and the Gunners are not out of sight just yet. Injuries toMartin Odegaard, the club’s captain, have also led to them struggling at certain junctures during the season.

Arsenal are an elite unit

Mikel Arteta’s team scores and concedes the most and least goals per game. They have the most clean sheets, concede the least xG and play the lowest amount of long balls per match in the league. They win more possession in the final third than any other side. They are an elite unit that finds ways to win no matter the circumstances, more often than not.

The fact that fans have switched from hating Manchester City due to their Abu Dhabi owners to hating Arsenal because they “score from corners” shows that fans need a heel. They need someone to hate. They’ll create narratives to hate someone. A couple of seasons ago, the consensus was there was not enough physicality in football, and it has reverted too far into the future with pointless possession. Goalkeepers were protected, and the old style of the game was gone from it. Football has begun to revert to somewhat resembling what took place in the older game, and people hate what’s happening.

It was Manchester United in the past. Sir Alex Ferguson pays referees. The narrative that ruled the Premier League for nearly 20 years was due to fans from other clubs being unable to deal with their teams’ failures and having to create severely worrying narratives to try to cope with that lack of success. Manchester City’s were more valid, and could be punished in a court of law very soon, but Arsenal’s? Not as much.

set piece lunacy

Why is taking advantage of set pieces frowned upon? Why is finding ways to win no matter the circumstance branded as being bad champions, should they become them? Arsenal scored 16 last season and broke the record, but Liverpool scored 15 in 21/22, and their fan base seems to be one of the main ones slating Arsenal for their goalscoring exploits. This is elite sport, with a team that has not won a league title in 20 years. For them, right now, it can’t be about how they win it; it has to be about winning it regardless. Next season and beyond can be about how they win it, but they must win it first, and if they do, their fans will never care about the manner in which it happened.

As Thierry Henry said, you don’t have to like the way Arsenal play, but at the very least, you have to respect it. Some have suggested Arteta is not a top manager, but how else can you explain being top of the league with a starting eleven that some are deeming the worst champions in the league’s history?

Marcelo Bielsa’s quote from yesterday rings through and it’s a good way of analysing the top echelons of sport.

Arteta has failed to do the former in the last couple of seasons, and now feels the latter is the club’s best route to a league title. If that pays off, he deserves credit for the switch. It’s a major gamble, and Arsenal may still fall short against a Manchester City side who could have the upper edge mentally after the recent Carabao Cup win, but regardless of what happens, they are a top football team, with a top football manager, and would be worthy champions.