For every club in England, a football stadium should be somewhere they’re proud to call home and that’s especially the case in the Premier League. Considered the biggest league in the world, it’s only fitting that the venues hosting the most watched games in football are worthy of doing so and look the part.

That’s not always the case and some stadiums are vastly different to others in the English top flight. The division boasts some of the best grounds in football, but there are also a number that could do with some work. Daily Mail journalist Oliver Holt has been to every stadium in the Premier League and he’s ranked them all from worst to best.

20-16

Coventry, Bournemouth, Hull, Arsenal & Ipswich

REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

The worst stadium in the Premier League, according to Holt, is Coventry’s CBS Arena. He wasn’t impressed when he attended a match between Coventry and Birmingham earlier this decade. “The atmosphere inside the ground was lively enough, partly because the game was a derby of sorts, but it is a soulless, deracinated kind of stadium abutting the M6. It is football in an urban wasteland,” he wrote.

Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium was up next. The venue has the smallest capacity in the Premier League by some distance and Holt said: “It’s a League Two stadium that got overtaken by the success of its side. Its character comes from its small size and the atmosphere it generates because of it.”

Hull City are back in the Premier League after nine years away, but Holt isn’t a massive fan of their stadium, writing: “It is a handsome stadium on the inside but there have been times when I have visited when sections of it were shut down because of ticketing issues. It is an arena that has been made ugly by division.”

Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium is among the worst in the Premier League, according to Holt. The ground opened in 2006, but Holt isn’t as keen on it as he is others in the top flight. He said: “The stadium is not as bland as some of the new generation but it still lacks real character.”

Holt described Ipswich Town’s Portman Road as ‘wonderful’, but it still features in his bottom five. He wrote: “It is still a wonderful ground, a ground at the centre of its community, a ground where you can breathe in the legends of Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson, great football men who did great things in their time in charge of the club.”

15-11

Manchester City, Brighton, Brentford, Sunderland, Chelsea

Reuters/Andrew Boyers

Despite all the success, money spent and legacy forged in the last few years for Manchester City, their Etihad Stadium was ranked 15th by Holt. The journalist was a much bigger fan of the club’s earlier ground, Maine Road, and he stated: “I’d probably have Maine Road in the top three in this list if Manchester City still played there. I loved that ground. But the Etihad isn’t Maine Road. City have done their best to breathe personality into it but it’s hard to disguise the fact it’s a characterless, identikit modern stadium.”

Brighton & Hove Albion’s Amex Stadium ranks above the Etihad. The Seagulls’ rise through the football leagues recently has been a tremendous achievement for the club. It’s rather fitting that their new stadium opened just several years before their fortunes transformed and, when describing the Amex, Holt said: “Neat on the inside, bold on the outside, it is a fitting home for an exceptionally well-run club and a fanbase that never gave up on its team.”

Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium is ranked 13th. One of the newest stadiums in the Premier League, it opened in 2020 and Holt actually prefers it to the club’s former home. Speaking about the Gtech Community Stadium, he admitted: “It is the type of stadium, and club, that makes fans feel they belong.”

Holt loved Sunderland’s former homes: Roker Park and Maine Road. While he doesn’t think their current home, the Stadium of Light, lives up to its predecessors, he’s still a fan. He said: “These are some of the best supporters in the country and the noise the fans make when the biggest occasions present themselves is up there with anyone.”

Just missing out on the top half is Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge. The ground has been home to the Blues since 1977, but has undergone significant transformation over the years. Discussing Stamford Bridge, the journalist said: “All stadiums change and modernise with the years, but there are few stadiums which have changed as dramatically as Stamford Bridge. For many, going to Chelsea, with its towering West Stand and opulent corporate boxes, is a boutique experience not out of place with the hugely affluent area in which it stands.”

10-6

Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Aston Villa & Manchester United

REUTERS/Chris Radburn

Just creeping into the top 10 is Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park. 2024 marked the 100-year anniversary of the ground opening. Holt is a big fan of the ground too. He heaped plenty of praise on it and said: “A trip to Palace is one of the best experiences in the English game. The atmosphere generated by the Holmesdale Road stand, in particular, makes Selhurst Park one of the best grounds in England to watch football.”

Nottingham Forest’s City Ground is next up on Holt’s rankings. From the walk to the ground, to the history within the venue, he’s a big fan of Forest’s home and stated: “Sometimes, just the walk to a stadium is part of what makes it special. It’s the same with the City Ground. When you get closer, you see the majesty of Trent Bridge next to the City Ground, too, and you feel you’re right at the heart of British sport. There’s so much history at the City Ground, so much achievement, so much tradition and such a stunning location. It’s a wonderful place to watch a game.”

Fulham have called Craven Cottage home since 1896, almost their entire existence. The ground is next on Holt’s list and he described it as a ‘jewel’ in English football heritage. He said: “Craven Cottage is one of the jewels of English football heritage, and Fulham’s stadium on the banks of the Thames has achieved the difficult task of modernising the ground without losing its character. It is a joy to visit.”

Aston Villa’s Villa Park is ranked sixth. The ground has played host to Champions League fixtures in recent seasons and hasn’t looked out of place in the competition. “Villa Park remains one of the great arenas in the English game,” Holt said.

The final stadium in this section is Old Trafford. Home to Manchester United, the ground has come under scrutiny lately for its poor conditions and the Red Devils announced plans to build a new stadium in the future, but the journalist is still a big fan. He said: “Yes, the roof leaks and, yes, Old Trafford could do with a bit of love and attention but there is a magic about this stadium that can never fade. It’s a wonderful place, one of the stadiums that can lay claim to nurturing a chunk of the heart of the English game.”

5-1

Leeds, Newcastle, Tottenham, Everton & Liverpool

REUTERS/Phil Noble

Another team set to leave their current stadium is Everton. The Toffees will depart Goodison Park at the end of this campaign, but Holt thinks it’s the fourth-best ground in the Premier League. He described it as authentic and praised the ‘lovely’ Main Stand, saying: “I’ve always loved Goodison Park and its lovely Main Stand and its fierce, fierce intensity. It feels like just about the most authentic stadium and passionate crowd there is in the top flight.”

Entering the top three, Newcastle United’s St. James’ Park is up next. Opening in 1892, the ground has seen the club go through the joys and sorrows of football, but better times are finally on the cards for the Magpies again. The ground is so iconic, it gives Holt goosebumps. He said: “Every time I arrive in the city and see St James’ Park staring down from its vantage point above it, it sends shivers down my spine. Its position is a symbol of its importance to the city. Inside, it generates one of the best atmospheres in the country, its fans are amongst the most loyal and the Gallowgate End is one of the most revered sections in our football history.”

One of the newest stadiums in football, Tottenham Hotspur moved into the new stadium, named after the club itself, in 2019 and it’s quickly become one of the best grounds in the world. Holt has it second on his list of Premier League venues, saying: “The best of the new generation of English football stadiums. There is an ambition about it that so many other new-builds lack. Spurs chairman Daniel Levy gets plenty of criticism for the failures of the club on the pitch but the new stadium is still a stunning legacy.”

Holt was a big fan of Everton’s former home, Goodison Park, but he thinks their new ground, the Hill Dickinson Stadium, is even better. He described the 52,769-seater stadium, which opened in 2025, as ‘spectacular’.

The best stadium in the Premier League, at least according to Holt, is Liverpool’s Anfield. Few grounds are quite as synonymous with a football club quite like the Reds’ iconic venue is. Speaking about Anfield, Holt simply said: “I have never been anywhere like it for the passion and the noise it has generated.”

Manchester United suffered a 4-2 defeat to Ruben Amorim’s AC Milan in a pre-season friendly, with the Red Devils twice taking the lead only to be pegged back before a late Milan surge sealed the win.

Harry Maguire’s early header and Patrick Dorgu’s second-half strike both proved insufficient as goals from Samuel Chukwueze, Alphadjo Cisse, Goncalo Ramos and Ruben Loftus-Cheek completed the turnaround. It capped a tough afternoon for United, with Luke Shaw in particular struggling to deal with Milan’s pace and movement throughout.

But the result wasn’t the only talking point, as full-time brought an awkward moment between Amorim and some of his old squad.

Ruben Amorim’s Turbulent Spell in Charge of Manchester United

Amorim’s time at Old Trafford proved to be a turbulent one, with the Portuguese manager sacked in January after a difficult period of results left United struggling to keep pace in the Premier League table.

His methods and man-management style came in for repeated criticism during his tenure, with fallouts involving several first-team players eventually contributing to the club’s decision to part ways in January.

Michael Carrick has since overseen an upturn in form as interim boss, results that earned him the job on a full-time basis. Saturday’s win with Milan will have offered him some personal vindication, even if it came in a pre-season friendly rather than a competitive fixture.

Ruben Amorim Snubbed by Former United Players

Despite the result, full-time brought a warm reunion between Amorim and his former squad, with almost every player who worked under the Portuguese during his time in charge making a point of greeting him pitchside. The exceptions were notable: Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Diogo Dalot were all seen keeping their distance, choosing not to embrace their old manager.

Rashford in particular endured a well-documented fallout with Amorim that led to two separate loan spells away from Old Trafford, first with Aston Villa, before spending last season with Barcelona, while Mainoo also found himself frozen out of regular game time during the Portuguese’s tenure.

Dalot’s snub of the 41-year-old is far more bizarre, with no public fallout said to have taken place. The United full-back’s form was publicly challenged by Amorim, but Dalot later praised his manager at the time for raising standards.

Ruben Amorim appeared to have a cheeky dig at Manchester United manager Michael Carrick after he beat his old team 4-2 with AC Milan on Saturday.

The two teams met in a pre-season friendly at Tarczynski Arena in Poland. Amorim got the last laugh against his former employers despite seeing his team fall behind twice, to goals from Harry Maguire and Patrick Dorgu.

Those goals weren’t enough to secure victory, however, as Samuel Chukwueze, AlphadjoCisse, Goncalo Ramos and Ruben Loftus-Cheek completed a remarkable turnaround. On the day, the Italians deserved to emerge with a win.

REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

When walking through the mixed zone following the pre-season win, Amorim was met by fans waiting to take pictures with him, as well as familiar media faces. Simon Stone, a BBC Sport reporter, had a brief encounter with the Portuguese tactician.

They shared a warm greeting before the journalist let Amorim know that his explosive press conferences were missed. After laughing off the comment, the 41-year-old then remarked: “More boring now.”

Of course, the man who now sits in Amorim’s seat at those press conferences is Michael Carrick. The former Red Devils midfielder is seen as a more composed and calm customer than Amorim proved to be at times.

He originally took over the role in January on a temporary basis, before being handed a permanent deal in the summer as Man Utd secured Champions League football.

Amorim Still ‘Loves Manchester United’ Despite Struggles

REUTERS/Daniele

Speaking in his post-match interview, the ex-United boss confirmed he still has positive feelings towards the English giants, despite how his spell at the club went.

When asked if it felt like he got revenge on his old team, he said (per Express Sport): “No, it’s a normal game. Since I signed with Milan, I haven’t felt anything about Manchester United. I’m just proud to have been at Manchester United and I still love Manchester United, but after signing with Milan, I don’t feel anything negative about anything because I’m very happy.

“I’m where I should be. So I just want to continue here. I wanted to win a game in pre-season to give our fans a good image.”

The 4-2 success was actually Amorim’s first victory since being appointed by the San Siro club earlier this summer. He started his tenure with the seven-time European champions with draws against Celtic and Inter Milan, before being beaten 3-0 by Chelsea.