It's like a new age version of the census. Twitter have released an infographic showing support for all 20 Premier League clubs across the globe.
Data is collected from countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe to determine who are the best supported Premier League clubs in each area - at least as reflected by Twitter activity.
The results are sometimes surprising. For instance, Arsenal are the top club in North America and what Donald Rumsfeld used to call 'Old Europe'. Chelsea, meanwhile, are mysteriously popular in South America and countries like Spain, Portugal and Italy. Perhaps less surprisingly Manchester United rule most of Asia, including India, China (where the data is a bit spotty) and Pakistan.
Who wins the battle in Ireland? The major division in Irish life used to be whether one was Fianna Fail or Fine Gael. In recent years, this has been supplanted by a more violent and more socially worrying division - the one that exists between Liverpool and Manchester United fans. Sure enough the two clubs come out well in front with Liverpool pipping United - at least in terms of Twitter support.
One can zoom in to get a slightly fuller geographical breakdown. Manchester United are notably strong in the south Dublin/Wicklow area, Limerick, the midlands, bits of the north-west and the place where Galway should be. Interestingly Arsenal are the best supported team (again as reflected on Twitter) in the North Galway/South Mayo region and in North Cork. Liverpool dominate the rest of the country.
Liverpool also dominate the UK (where one can zoom in in greater detail).
One Conclusion: It is striking that Chelsea and Manchester City tend to be stronger in far flung places where watching Premier League football is a very modern phenomenon.
In places where the pervasiveness of English football has been a fact of life for aeons, like Ireland, Liverpool and Manchester United come to the fore.
