Mikel Arteta's Arsenal may have regained their spot at the top of the 2025/26 Premier League table with a 1-0 victory at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday night, but the occasion was marred by a number of their match-going supporters singing "Feed the Scousers". Everton's response has been praised.
All it took was a penalty from Viktor Gyokeres to open and close the scoring on away soil as they leapfrogged Manchester City into the top spot. Earlier in the day, Pep Guardiola's men had picked up all three points from a 3-0 win over West Ham United.
After Jake O'Brien was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box, Arsenal's Gyokeres stepped up to the mark and converted his spot-kick – and his goal was enough for the win. On what was supposed to be a joyous night for the north Londoners, though, the fans painted themselves in a poor light.
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Arsenal Fans Sing 'Feed The Scousers' Against Everton, Who Have Been Praised for Their Actions
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It wasn't exactly a vintage performance from Arsenal, who were celebrating Arteta' six years – which has resulted in the solitary major trophy – in the Emirates Stadium dugout. William Saliba could also, perhaps, count himself lucky that VAR stuck with Samuel Barrott's initial decision to not give a penalty.
The Frenchman's swing-and-a-miss connected with the bottom of Thierno Barry's boot, and he fell to the ground, wincing in pain. Those manning VAR deemed "the contact from Saliba on Barry wasn't sufficient for a penalty," and play resumed to the sound of "Feed the Scousers" every now and again.
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During the match on the blue half of Merseyside, a select few members of the Gunners' travelling contingent decided to mock the hungry and homeless Liverpool by singing the disgusting chant, which intends to mock poverty and alludes to historical hardship in the city.
Everton's response was smart, though, as they put the logo of the 'Fans Supporting Foodbanks' organisation on the large screen inside the Hill Dickinson stadium. The 'Fans Supporting Foodbanks' organisation is jointly run by two major fan clubs of Liverpool and Everton, as they put their footballing divide to one side as a way of tackling hunger problems inside the city.
"Arsenal fans sing "feed the Scouers" and Everton put Fans Supporting Foodbanks’ logo on the screen straight away. Quality from Everton. Absolutely embarrassing from the Arsenal fans singing it. Solidarity with SFoodbanks. Hunger doesn’t wear club colours," wrote Caoimhe O'Neill of The Athletic.
The chant itself was met by responding boos around the rest of the stadium and one fan, in response to the above-mentioned post, wrote: "Superb response from Everton. Disgraceful from Arsenal fans."
The "Feed the Scousers" song has been around since 1984, when Band Aid recorded "Feed the World", which raised £8 million for the starving people of Africa but, even 41 years on, the repugnant chants still ring out through stadiums across the nation when either Liverpool or Everton are playing.
Arsenal Need to Go Up a Gear Amid Man City Pressure
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In terms of on-the-pitch matters, Arsenal need to improve if they are to keep their spot at the top of the table. City are now managing to keep pace with them after a tricky start to the campaign – and the Gunners winning against Everton thanks to a penalty is not a good look going forward.
Gyokeres needs to offer more as an out-and-out striker if the Gunners are to charge towards glory for the first time since the 2003/04 campaign because the difference between the Swede and Erling Haaland is remarkably stark, and it could be the difference between elation and misery come May.
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They can also count their lucky stars that Barrott waved away any shouts of a penalty from Saliba's poor reading of the situation before those at Stockley Park agreed with his assessment. Next up for Arsenal is welcoming Crystal Palace to the Emirates on December 23 in the League Cup.