Chelsea and Man United have ugliest fans in Premier League

Manchester United and Chelsea have the ugliest fans in the Premier League, according to a new survey of football followers.

United fans are least attractive to supporters of other clubs, with one in 11 (nine per cent) refusing to date a Red Devil.

But Bournemouth and Southampton supporters are the best looking in the top flight, suggests the research.

Dating service, Match.com, quizzed more than 1,000 fans of top-flight clubs on which rival supporters they'd be prepared to be seen stepping out on a date with.

Bournemouth fans were seen as the league's most attractive, with more than half (58 per cent) of rivals saying they'd be happy to date a Cherries supporter.

Their south coast neighbours Southampton were a close second, with 57 per cent saying they'd see a Saint.

But with Merseyside rivals Everton and Liverpool due to meet on the pitch this Sunday, it's unlikely to see any romances among rival fans, with one in four Reds (25 per cent) saying they'd never date their arch rivals.

And more than a fifth of Man City followers (22 per cent) said they would never go out with a Man United fan, while the same percentage of Spurs fans said they wouldn't date a Gooner.

In the North East, 15 per cent of Geordies wouldn't go near a supporter of rivals Sunderland.

Aston Villa fans haven't had much to cheer in recent years, but one in ten Villains said they wouldn't date a fellow Villa fan to share their pain.

One in 12 top-flight fans (eight per cent) said football is more important to them than their love life.

Thirteen per cent of fans said they wouldn't date someone who supported a rival club, while just one in nine (11 per cent) said they'd be prepared to switch allegiances to keep a new partner happy.

More than one in five admitted skipping dates or nights with a partner in favour of following their team.

But more than half (59 per cent) still believe they manage to maintain a healthy balance between their love lives and their football team.

Kate Taylor, relationship expert for Match, said: "Football might be the beautiful game, but emotions can run high in sport.

"As we already know, couples with shared interests last longest, so when searching potential dates on Match mobile, it's quite likely that fellow supporters will tickle your fancy.

"If you do accidentally fall for a rival fan you'll both have to exercise tact during football season.

"No taunts when your team wins, no sulking when theirs does - and never ask your partner to swap teams for you, or you're sure to find yourself being substituted."