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The Covid-19 era showed fans likely had a positive impact on how home teams performed – but can home supporters have a negative effect too?<\/p>\n
Some might say the Goodison Park grumbles which accompanied Sean Dyche’s final days as Everton boss are in stark contrast to the partisan passion on show under David Moyes’ resurgent side. Have fans had an influence there?<\/p>\n
Some of this season’s struggling teams have seen their own supporters turn hostile on occasion.<\/p>\n
“You’re not fit to wear the shirt,” was one chant aimed at Leicester City players by Foxes fans in Friday’s 4-0 home defeat by Brentford at King Power stadium.<\/p>\n
It’s a ground where protests against the club’s hierarchy have been commonplace in recent weeks – a period in which, perhaps coincidentally, Leicester’s home form has seen six consecutive league defeats without scoring – setting a new unwanted Premier League record in the process.<\/p>\n
Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy agrees supporters have a right to voice their opinion – but speaking before the Brentford game, he emphasised just how much fan backing can mean to teams.<\/p>\n
“Looking back as a player, when you played in front of your home crowd and there is a connection from a tackle, pass, cross or difficult moments in a game where support is lifting you, I know as a coach and someone who loves sports and football what it does to the team,” he explained.<\/p>\n
Similar, though perhaps less vocal protests, have been witnessed at Tottenham Hotspur stadium in recent months.<\/p>\n
Ironically, the most visible signs of discontent came as Spurs beat Manchester United earlier this month – but home fans had not seen their injury-hit team win at home in the league since early November, and that three-month wait for a home league win included defeats by relegation-battlers Ipswich Town and Leicester.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n