Fans from across the Premier League clubs would love for both Manchester clubs to endure a tough 2023/24 season, according to Sky Bet’s Hope Fan survey.
Fans from all twenty Premier League teams were asked which sides they would like to underperform this season, as well as a number of other topics, including the best stadium atmosphere and the worst run clubs as part of the survey.
Manchester City were the treble winners last season with Pep Guardiola’s charges picking up the Premier League, FA Cup and the Champions League trophies and replicating the achievements of their rivals from Old Trafford from the 1998/99 season.
Erik ten Hag and United grabbed the other domestic trophy in the shape of the Carabao Cup, defeating Newcastle United at Wembley.
Their successes last season may well have been a deciding factor in rival Premier League supporters' decision making on this topic, with 24% of fans surveyed hoping City underperform, while Man United a close second on 19%.
Whether it be through jealousy or boredom of the Cityzens winning most of their games, fans just want to see the blue side of Manchester struggle.
One crumb of comfort for the Red Devils fans was that City knocked them off top spot after United finished top of the pile over a fifth of the votes in last season’s Fan Hope Survey Unlike the top four in the league, the top four in the survey hasn’t changed from last season.
Liverpool and Chelsea completed the ‘Top 4’ of teams other fans love to hate, finishing tied on 9%, with fans hoping they will struggle once again.
Tottenham, under the management of former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou, were in fifth with 7%, with the supporters surveyed hoping they went yet another season without a trophy.
At the other end of the spectrum there were a whole host of clubs who rival fans hoped wouldn’t underperform, with Bournemouth, Wolves, Sheffield United, Fulham, Burnley, Brentford and Aston Villa all finishing with 1%.
Thousands of fans across the country have given their opinion about the new Premier League season including who they think will win the league and what stadium has the best atmosphere.
To see the full Sky Bet Fan Hope Survey, click here
Thomas Thorn