England and Manchester United legend, Wayne Rooney, has revealed that fan support could play a decisive role in the outcome of the Premier League title race, urging Arsenal supporters to get firmly behind their team during a difficult spell.
New Telegraph reports that the Gunners’ hopes of winning a first league title in 22 years suffered a setback after they were defeated 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium by Manchester City on Sunday, April 19.
The loss came after a 2-1 loss to AFC Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium, which led to some fans booing off the players and the technical crew.
Rooney questioned that reaction, insisting it could have a negative impact on the squad at a crucial stage of the season.
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“I think the Arsenal fans need to be better. They’ve been brilliant all season, and they’ve hit a little bad run of form,” Rooney said.
He emphasised how much players rely on backing from the stands, particularly when results dip.
“They need to understand how much the fan support means to the players and how much it can help them. When you lose a game and you get booed off, that can affect a player,” he added.
Despite recent setbacks, Arsenal remain firmly in contention for the title with five games left to play, but face intense pressure from City, who could overtake them at the top of the table with a win in their mid-week fixture against West Ham.
Rooney pointed to the importance of unity between fans and players, especially given the club’s recent history of falling short in title races.
“For Arsenal to win the league, the Arsenal fans need to play their part. The fans need to back the players a little bit more because that will have hurt the Arsenal players, 100%,” he stressed.
