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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
David Byrom

Premier League stadium rankings: Liverpool labelled "hell", Man Utd eye redevelopment

Liverpool's Anfield home has been labelled 'hell' by Villarreal's Etienne Capoue, with the two teams facing each other in a Champions League semi-final.

Despite the stadium having one of the greatest reputations in world football, former Spurs and Watford star Capoue is evidently not a fan, although he seems to mean it in a complementary fashion.

Speaking ahead of the game at Anfield, Capoue said the Reds never let opposition teams settle, spurred on by the atmosphere their fans create.

“Anfield is hell, you have to say it how it is. It's hell,” Capoue told Yahoo Sport. “It's the worst stadium I've been to in England. Whether it's the atmosphere, the way they play... For 90 minutes, you live in hell. They have this ability to transcend themselves, to cause you nothing but problems, all the time, in any part of the field.

"They never stop, they rush you all the time, they only want to score goals, and even when they score, they carry on. They want to knock you out. They don't care what or who is in front of them. They just want to kill everyone and that's it.”

So, how does Anfield compare to other Premier League stadiums? Here's our power rankings - and you can have your say on the best and worst grounds in English football in the survey below.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - Spurs set the bar with their new stadium, which is a rare example of a modern stadium having its own unique character, whilst also providing plenty of facilities for fans.

Anfield - Whilst Anfield may only be the sixth-biggest stadium in the Premier League, Liverpool fans know how to create a truly special atmosphere, and the redevelopment of the Main Stand managed to retain the stadium's charm.

St James’ Park - Newcastle fans are well-known for their passion and consistent ability to sell-out their 52,305-seater stadium, and the Magpies' recent good form has seen the atmosphere reach new levels at St James' Park. A mooted expansion will only add to that.

Villa Park - Perhaps it goes a little under the radar in comparison to other big stadiums, but Villa Park has both history and also beauty, with the Holte End an example of famed stadium architect Archibald Leitch's finest work.

Leeds fans create a good atmosphere at Elland Road (PA)

Elland Road - Another ground with plenty of history. Leeds United fans have had plenty to shout about in recent seasons, and that's taken the atmosphere up another level. It will be interesting to see how the club retain the stadium's character should they go ahead with a speculated redevelopment.

Amex - Perhaps not famed for its atmosphere, Brighton's stadium still has a uniqueness to it, particularly thanks to its picturesque setting. The Seagulls' fair treatment of away fans also boosts the Amex's ranking.

Selhurst Park - Crystal Palace's stadium may be one of the smallest in the Premier League, but fans have made a concerted effort to create a good atmosphere at Selhurst Park.

Emirates - The Emirates may have been world-class when it was built but, nearly 16 years on, it is starting to show a bit of wear and tear a little. A return to the Champions League could help improve the atmosphere, too.

King Power Stadium - Not the most memorable of grounds as a whole, the memory of Leicester's title celebrations, which saw Andrea Bocelli sing at the King Power, help its ranking.

Stamford Bridge - It's easy to see why Chelsea remain keen to either redevelop Stamford Bridge or move away from their stadium. Whilst there's nothing inherently wrong with the stadium, it's on the small side, and lacks a truly iconic feel.

St Mary’s Stadium - Another modern stadium that perhaps lacks a defining feature.

Etihad Stadium - The criticism of Man City's fanbase for a perceived failure to consistently sell-out the Etihad is overblown, but it's true that their stadium lacks the special atmosphere that Maine Road had. Nearly 20 years on from their stadium move, that's a fairly damning fact.

Molineux - Wolves may be able to produce some special light shows at their stadium, but away fans are never placed in a brilliant position to create a good atmosphere.

Brentford Community Stadium - The Premier League's smallest - and newest - stadium. It currently feels like a bit of a novelty and out of place in the top tier, but Brentford's opening-day win over Arsenal was a demonstration of how fans can create a brilliant atmosphere in smaller stadiums.

Old Trafford lives off its former glory (Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Old Trafford - It may be the biggest stadium in the Premier League, but Old Trafford is showing the signs of a lack of investment. This season the stadium suffer a leaky roof and power shortages preventing fans from getting food at one game. It's symptomatic of a club living off former glory. The recent decision to look into redeveloping the stadium has come far too late.

Goodison Park - The plans for Everton's new stadium are stunning and, whilst Goodison Park has an old-world charm to it, there are certain elements that belong in a bygone era.

Turf Moor - Burnley's stadium is the second-smallest in the Premier League and, whilst Clarets fans can create a good atmosphere, it lacks a defining feature that would mean it was missed if the club were ever relegated.

Agree with these rankings? Have your say in the survey above and the comments below.

Carrow Road - At 27,244, Norwich City's stadium is a decent size, but it's charm and atmosphere have been dented by consistent struggles in the Premier League.

London Stadium - West Ham fans may be producing good atmospheres during the club's European run and top-six challenges, but the former Olympic Stadium was rightly criticised for years due to the fact it isn't truly suitable for football.

Vicarage Road - Not a stadium away fans look forward to visiting, Watford's Vicarage Road has, like Norwich's ground, been hit by the club enduring a poor few years on the pitch.

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