A Manchester City supporter has gone viral after being spotted drinking from a bottle labelled ‘Arsenal tears’ during the team’s 3-0 win over Chelsea, with the moment quickly spreading across social media and drawing a wide range of reactions from football fans.

The fan, identified as Tal Rehman, was filmed in the away end at Stamford Bridge celebrating as Manchester City extended their lead. Although the match had nothing to do with Arsenal, the stunt appeared to be a playful dig ahead of City’s upcoming meeting with their title rivals.

The circulating clip shows Rehman raising the bottle during the match, immediately catching the attention of supporters both inside the stadium and online. The phrase ‘Arsenal tears’ is often used jokingly by rival fans, and with City set to face Arsenal next weekend in a potentially decisive fixture, the timing made the moment even more striking.

Rehman later explained the origins of the joke, revealing that the idea had been planned well before the Chelsea game and stemmed from a previous encounter with Arsenal merchandise. Speaking about the moment, he said,

“Next thing, I'm at the stadium and then I realised I had it [Arsenal bottle] in the bag. When we went 3-0 up, I thought, "It's showtime baby" Next thing I know, people are tapping me saying "you've gone viral" When they're showing me, I'm in shock”.

The clip rapidly spread across various platforms, with many supporters praising the humour and creativity behind the stunt. Others pointed out that it added extra narrative to the upcoming clash between the two clubs, which is expected to have major implications in the title race.

Despite the attention, Rehman emphasised that the gesture was all meant in good spirit and not intended to offend anyone. Addressing the reaction, he said,

“It's just banter, people out there must understand that it's banter, I'm not a tribal fan, I'm a football fan, I respect the game, I respect the rules, everything”.

As excitement builds ahead of the clash between Manchester City and Arsenal, Rehman’s viral moment has already become one of the most talked-about pieces of pre-match banter, adding another memorable chapter to the growing rivalry.