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Last night at the Emirates was a sad affair as Arsenal lost 1-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final.
Ousmane Dembele opened the scoring just four minutes into the clash after being set up by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Despite having five shots on target, the Gunners failed to net an equalizer.
The Gunners found the back of the net once with Mikel Merino's shot in the 47th minute but the goal was overruled by VAR as the Spanish midfielder was caught offside.
While Arsenal fell short in their efforts on the pitch against PSG, Wayne Rooney also had some criticism about the home crowd.
What did Wayne Rooney say about Arsenal's home crowd against PSG?
Arsenal's performance against PSG in the Champions League semi-final can be considered underwhelming, especially after their stellar display against Real Madrid in the quarters.
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The Gunners bagged a massive 5-1 win on aggregate against the 15-time Champions League title holders. They maintained a clean sheet and scored three goals in the first leg with tremendous crowd support at the Emirates.
Following Arsenal's loss against PSG, Rooney was critical of the Gunners' display. However, the English manager also pointed out (comments via Metro) that the home crowd was 'subdued,' specifically in comparison to their support back in the Champions League quarter-final.
"For Arsenal I was disappointed with how they played but I was a bit disappointed with the fans as well. The fans against Real Madrid were excellent, they really pushed the team but tonight they were a bit subdued," he said.
‘It was an anti-climax for Arsenal, beat Real Madrid and thought they were going to walk into the final of the competition. The fans had to be there. The players have to show up of course but on both sides it wasn’t good enough tonight," continued Rooney.
The 39-year-old opined that a more enthusiastic crowd could have added to Arsenal's chances against the Ligue 1 champions and added,
"The players need help, I thought the fans here against Real Madrid were absolutely fantastic. The best I’ve ever heard them at the Emirates. I thought tonight they didn’t give them that same energy. In big games, in massive semi-finals of the Champions League, maybe that might be the difference. So maybe they have to give a little bit more."
"Arsenal fans have been through a lot I know but maybe if they brought the same energy they bought against Real Madrid that might have lifted the players by five per cent," concluded the former Plymouth Argyle coach.
Arsenal will be making the trip to Parc des Princes to face PSG in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final on May 7.
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