Joey Barton questioned Liverpool’s supporters ability to create a good atmosphere at Anfield when debating the best and worst crowds of the Premier League.
The pundit suggested on talkSPORT‘s Alan Brazil’s Sports Breakfast on Monday that Reds fans just sing You’ll Never Walk Alone and don’t do much else for the rest of the game.
“Liverpool fans sing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ at the start of the game, and that’s pretty much it,” said Barton.
“Unless they score or it’s one of those European nights.”
The talkSPORT pundit was debating whether any Premier League ground has a good atmosphere, as Jose Mourinho called Old Trafford too quiet after Manchester United beat Huddersfield Town 2-0 on Saturday.
“I think Old Trafford, in spite of being a quiet stadium, the pitch is big, the grass is nice and obviously the players feel very comfortable playing here,” stated Mourinho, as quoted by talkSPORT.
The Manchester United manager opted to praise Portsmouth fans after his bizarre comments, as he revealed that he though the atmosphere their fans provided at Fratton Park was “incredible.”
OPINION
Barton’s dig at Liverpool is completely unneeded. Everyone knows Reds fans do more than just sing their classic anthem, and are very vocal throughout their side’s games. The talkSPORT pundit is obviously just trying to rile Liverpool supporters up so they call in the radio station as there’s no way he honestly believes what he is saying. Barton managed to make Mourinho’s comments seem less bizarre by questioning the atmosphere of Anfield. As previously the Manchester United manger’s comments were unusual as his side had just won against Huddersfield and there was no need for him to criticise fans at all.