MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 26: Rob Holding of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on April 26, 2023 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Rob Holding, an Arsenal defender, has acknowledged that the Anfield crowd is the hardest he has ever encountered.
During an interview with NMscore on TikTok, Holding was asked to name the “craziest” stadium and fan base he had ever played at. It didn’t take Holding long to respond, “Definitely in the Premier League, Anfield at Liverpool,” the 27-year-old admitting that his team’s 2-2 tie with Liverpool in April was still vivid in his memory. “We were 2-0 up when all of a sudden, their audience just lifted and became hostile, which you could see energized their players. Then, their players appear slightly taller and move a little quicker.
It is a tough, tough place to go and take all three points, we should have to be fair. Just the Kop sucks the ball into the net. It’s energy, just like pressure, pressure and then it breaks through. So, definitely Liverpool.”
Another one to add to the collection. There isn’t a tougher stadium to win at in the whole of the country.
New stand, same old magic
If Holding – and his manager – thought it was difficult last season, then he better get ready for it to get even tougher. The Reds are putting the finishing touches to their new Anfield Road stand, which will see even more fans in the famous old stadium next season.
Throughout the past two campaigns, Liverpool have lost just once at home in the Premier League. With thousands more Reds cheering them on, they’ll hope to extend that in 2023/24.
Under Jurgen Klopp, the place has become an absolute fortress once again. Prior to losing against Burnley in January 2020, Liverpool had gone almost three years without a league loss at Anfiled
After six-game losing streak put a halt to that in early 2020, they then went another two-and-a-half years unbeaten until October 2022.
That loss against Leeds United was their only one in 2022/23. Although they were dismal at times on the road, home comforts kept Liverpool afloat.
So, despite pokes and jibes from rival fans about the stadium lacking atmosphere these days, it still holds a certain power.
Holding isn’t the first to feel that and he certainly won’t be the last. As the face of Anfield continues to change as the years go by, the magic remains the same.
