What BBC Match of the Day commentator Jonathan Pearce spotted Aston Villa fans do at West Ham is just sheer class.
It was a battle of the claret and blues at the London Stadium as West Ham entertained Aston Villa on Sunday.
West Ham needed a win to keep pace with the race for a European place. And in-form Villa were looking to make it four wins in a row.
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It was the Hammers who came out on top, though, emerging with a deserved 2-1 win.
There was not much between the two sides, though, and Villa are clearly going to be an improving force under Steven Gerrard.
Aston Villa have class on the pitch in the likes of Phillipe Coutinho and Jacob Ramsey. They have class in the dugout in the shape of brilliant young manager Gerrard.
And by all accounts class in the boardroom too with the way the club operates under the likes of Christian Purslow.
But what BBC MOTD commentator Jonathan Pearce spotted Villa fans do at West Ham was just sheer class personified.
Pearce remarked that Aston Villa fans applauded West Ham star Andriy Yarmolenko onto the pitch when he replaced the injured Michail Antonio in the second half.
What BBC commentator Jonathan Pearce spotted Aston Villa fans do at West Ham is just sheer class
“Aston Villa supporters clapping his name too,” Pearce said on BBC Match of the Day Two.
That in itself is a classy gesture and not unexpected.
But what BBC man Pearce spotted Aston Villa fans do next in the crowd at West Ham was another level of class.
When Yarmolenko swiveled in the box and fired home a lovely finish to break the deadlock it provided one of the most poignant and emotional moments of the season given the horrific events unfolding in his homeland.
Yarmolenko broke down in tears as he was surrounded by his jubilant teammates while West Ham fans celebrated.
But off camera Pearce relayed that Aston Villa fans – who had just watched their team concede a goal – were standing to applaud Yarmolenko too.
“What a story this is,” Pearce said on MOTD2 as Yarmolenko opened the scoring for West Ham.
“Andriy Yarmolenko, the Ukraine international, in tears.
“Let me tell you something, you can’t see it (so) I’ll tell you – the Aston Villa fans are applauding. Listen to this roar.
“It (scoring) won’t ease his worries, not for long, but just for the moment.”
What utter class. To put football rivalry and tribalism aside like that having travelled down to London on a Sunday and watched your team go 1-0 down deserves to be applauded in itself.
Massive respect to Villa fans. Pure class.