Late on Saturday night, a mile from the Emirates Stadium in London, Arsenal fans were painting the town red. After enjoying a straightforward Premier League win over West Ham United, many of those in red-and-white shirts followed routine and flocked to drinking holes along lively Upper Street, Islington, to debrief, refresh and keep an eye on TV screens showing Liverpool at Chelsea.
Arsenal supporters rarely rush to celebrate any Chelsea success, such is the intensity of the rivalry given extra enmity by Ashley Cole’s 2006 defection to Stamford Bridge. Loathing was temporarily set aside with a few whoops of glee as Estêvão’s injury-time goal condemned Liverpool to a second successive Premier League loss.
