FOUR out of five (81%) Premier League fans believe they have a positive influence on live matches and Stoke (50%), Huddersfield (47%) and Liverpool (46%) fans strongly believe they are the 12th player at games (compared to 36% among all fans).

Liverpool (34%) and Everton (32%) fans go a step further and think their support changes games (against 24% overall) according to research of more than 4,000 fans from all 20 Premier League clubs.

The research conducted by Barclays, who have been involved in top-flight football for more than 30 years, including the past 16 as a sponsor of the Premier League, will be published in a full report ‘Game Changing fans - The 12th Player in every Premier League team’ in early May.

The report, which was created in conjunction with YouGov, looks into the behaviour of Premier League fans and includes comments and analysis from ex-players, managers, journalists and experts.

The initial findings show that more than anything fans want effort on the pitch, not the greatest game of football or even a win, but a team that plays with heart and commitment.

More than a quarter (28%) of all fans put that first, with a win second (22%) and playing well third (18%) – meanwhile playing entertaining football was listed fourth at 13%.

Everton and Leicester fans value effort the most (37% and 36%) while Brighton & Hove Albion fans appreciate a win higher than others (31%).

Burnley want their team to play well the most (30%) while Arsenal and Manchester United (21%) want entertaining football more than any other fans.

When it comes to individual players, over two in five fans believe that a player can please them the most on the pitch by working hard in a game (41%), followed by playing well individually (14%) or being a part of the team’s success on the day (11%).

In return, fans are prepared to play their part in supporting their team, with 86% believing it is their role to support their team vocally, not just to sit and watch.

The south coast seems to appreciate this most with Brighton and Southampton fans (91%) the highest in the league to believe their role is to praise and applaud their team.

When it comes to singing for their team, Stoke fans rate this the highest at 82%, with Crystal Palace and Watford at 79%, against 72% for the league as a whole.

When asked about other clubs’ fans, Liverpool fans were voted the noisiest and the biggest singers both home and away and also have other fans’ favourite anthem in “You’ll Never Walk Alone” – even by arch rival Man United fans.

It may come as no surprise then that Liverpool’s 4-3 victory against at the time, undefeated Manchester City, was voted as the game where fans made the most difference to a game’s result this season.

Barclays ambassador and Chelsea’s all-time top scorer Frank Lampard said: “The research highlights how dependent players and teams are on the fans and vice-versa.

"If we try hard, show commitment, perhaps a thundering tackle or a sprint for a loose ball, you can see how this builds the energy in the crowd and with a crowd behind you that all important 12th player can make all the difference.”

Tom Corbett, Head of Group Sponsorship at Barclays, says: “We have been involved in supporting football for decades and it is clear that professional football is dependent on fans for its continued success.

"We are using this ‘Game Changing’ campaign to focus on and celebrate the impact of supporters and the research helps us understand what’s important to them.”

The relationship between the fans and the players can have an even broader impact and while the research shows that winning isn’t everything, one in two football fans agree a team win can make their weekend – and over a third agree it can make their week.

But it’s not just the fans and the players that benefit from a win, the UK economy benefits too, with 41% of fans admitting it makes them happier at work.

• Research by Barclays and YouGov of 4,000 Premier League fans from all 20 clubs, ex-players and managers

• Fans want their team to play with heart and commitment more than anything else – it beats playing well, being entertaining or even winning. However, Brighton & Hove Albion fans think winning is more important than any other Premier League club (31%)

• 86% of Premier League fans believe the most important role for a fan is to praise, applaud and encourage their team – Brighton and Southampton fans believe this more than any other club at 91%

• 84% of AFC Bournemouth fans believe they can influence players during a match, compared to 80% of Brighton and Southampton fans