Roy Hodgson told fans who booed one of his substitutions: 'I pick the team because I don’t trust your judgment’.
The Watford boss saw his side slump to their eighth consecutive home defeat - this time against Arsenal - and their 11th in their last 15 Premier League games.
But after seeing his move to replace midfielder Imran Louza with Edo Kayembe booed by his own fans, Hodgson hit back.
"Fans have got favourites and unfortunately we have taken over a team where the fans have decided long ago who their favourites are and who their favourites aren’t," he said.
“Unfortunately, I have got to carry on trying to pick teams to win games and not pick the team that the fans would like to see because I don’t trust their judgment unfortunately.”
“My problem is the ones that are not their favourites are the ones who are doing the best job for the team right now.
"I'd like to think the fans will help us.
"I'll keep believing they have the same kind of faith I have in this team."
As for Arsenal, the 3-2 win took them above Manchester United into fourth place ahead of the Red Devils' derby against Man City later on Sunday - and the Gunners may never get a better chance to make it back to the top table of Champions League football they last dined at five years ago this week.
Whether they make it or not, Bukayo Saka must surely lay claim to Young Player of the Year.
He is a man who makes things happen. Take the 20-year-old out of this Arsenal team and they lose a massive amount of their X-factor.
It was Saka, in fact, who provided the foundations for this victory. Watford simply couldn’t cope with him.
When Martin Odegaard received the ball on the right after just five minutes, he exchanged passes with Saka who released him in the box.
Not one of the four Watford players in front of Odegaard was able to prevent the former Real Madrid star picking his spot.
To be fair to Watford, their equaliser was outstanding: a candidate for Goal of the Season.
Kiko Femenia crossed from the right and Cucho Hernandez left Ramsdale rooted to the spot with a terrific overhead kick.
At this point, despite the positions of the two teams pre-match - Arsenal were sixth, Watford 19th - there was no telling which way this was heading.
It was Saka who would turn proceedings back in Arsenal’s favour on the half-hour. He caught Watford’s Tom Cleverley in possession and played the ball to the excellent Alexandre Lacazette.
The Frenchman back-heeled it to Saka and the England man lashed it home.
From a Cedric throw-in shortly after the break, Odegaard played in Lacazette and from his lay-off, Gabriel Martinelli cracked a superb third.
It was a lead fully merited. Watford will go down because they simply can't smell danger.
Arsenal were full value. So much so that Eddie Nketiah, on for Lacazette, hit the post within minutes.
But then Moussa Sissoko was allowed to beat Ben White and slide the ball under Ramsdale for 2-3 and a nervy finish. It should never have been that way. Arteta will work to tighten that up.
