Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Anyone But United? It's a phrase commonly coined in the UK as football followers distance themselves from any connection to the nation's most successful club in recent years.
However, that's certainly not the case in the Middle East according to a recent survey. In an online poll conducted by YouGovSiraj in 17 countries across the region, Manchester United emerged as the most popular football team with a whopping 73 per cent claiming to follow their results (a figure that dropped slightly to 71 per cent in the GCC).
Matching the current league standings, Arsenal were in second place with an average of 63 per cent, bolstered by a 77 per cent following in North Africa, possibly due to the summer signing of Moroccan sensation, Marouane Chamakh. Arsenal were the most popular team in the 18-24 demographic.
It was intriguing that more people watch the Spanish League than the Premiership, with 26 per cent preferring to watch Barcelona and Real Madrid compared to only 16 per cent for Arsenal and Manchester United.
Of the non-ball sports, unsurprisingly the most watched event was the Olympics at 16 per cent. F1 ranked third at 11 per cent behind the IAAF World Athletics Championships. However, as far as global sporting spectacles go in the region, they all have a long way to go before catching up with the Football World Cup, watched by 55 per cent of all respondents.
Of course, there is a very large difference between those watching sport and those who are actively involved!
Football tops the sports both watched and played, although while 58 per cent watch, only 27 per cent (less than half) get off the sofa to kick a ball. The second ranked sport being watch surprised me - swimming - with 17 per cent of those responding regularly following results. Swimming also ranked second for participation at 10 per cent.
* The other Manchester team, City, have this week been celebrating a hard-fought 1-0 victory over United to reach the FA Cup Final against Stoke City, convincing 5-0 conquerors of Bolton Wanderers.
It must have been hard for the Sky Blues playing away in London where most of United's fans back in Blighty live.
