Arsenal will reportedly give champions Liverpool a guard of honour in their fixture at Anfield this weekend.
It is generally viewed within the north London club that that is the mark of sportsmanship that should be respected.
This comes after Chelsea repeated the same act during their 3-1 victory over the champions this weekend - they also gave Liverpool the same during their 2019/20 title win under Jurgen Klopp.
The Daily Mail says that, despite Arsenal previously pushing Liverpool for title glory, they'll now honour the tradition.
Liverpool were given a guard of honour at Stamford Bridge this weekend
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The decision, however, has faced harsh criticism from former Premier League star Troy Deeney.
Speaking to The Sun, Deeney claimed: “I think it’s a load of old b*****ks. It’s not so much a mark of respect as a humiliation for the team lining up to give the champions a little clap.
"It's as if Chelsea and Arsenal and everyone who plays the champs for the rest of the season is saying, ‘Well done, we’re perfectly happy you beat us. ’
"When my Watford team lost an FA Cup final to Manchester City, we had to stand and clap while they got their medals. But that’s after the match, that’s fair enough. I was never in a position where I was expected to be part of a guard of honour.”
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Deeney continued: "During my top-flight days, Watford never played against a team who had already been confirmed as champions.
"But if I had been in that situation, I’d have refused point-blank. That’s what Arsenal, Liverpool’s nearest challengers this season, should do next Sunday. That would really set down a marker for next season. No more Mr Nice Guys."
It would appear thoughts are the same in Scotland, too, as Rangers refused to give a guard of honour to bitter rivals Celtic during their 1-1 draw at the Ibrox this weekend.
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Ally McCoist 'scoffed' at claims Rangers should have given rivals Celtic a guard of honour
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Rangers legend Ally McCoist ‘scoffed’ at the idea of such respect between the clubs, saying it would ‘never in a million years’ happen.
Arsenal have been Liverpool’s closest challengers as it stands, but the season has not panned out how Mikel Arteta would have hoped domestically, with his side 15 points away from the league leaders.
They have stuttered towards the finish line, winning just one of their previous five Premier League matches.
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Arsenal faultered in a 2-1 home defeat to Bournemouth this weekend
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That victory came against already-relegated Ipswich - with the Gunners now in serious danger of losing second spot, with Manchester City, Newcastle and Chelsea hot on their tails.
The Gunners, however, have turned their attention to the Champions League, where they face a real chance of progressing to their first final in the competition since their 2-1 loss to Barcelona in 2006.
They travel to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night, looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg at the Emirates.
