MANCHESTER UNITED are plotting a rearranged fixture after fans invaded Old Trafford causing their match against Liverpool to be axed.
The match against the defending champions has been POSTPONED after supporters broke into the Theatre of Dreams and ran on to the pitch.
Get all the latest Man Utd news, updates and transfer gossip here…
OWNING UP
Wembley chiefs confirmed the FA has begun its formal investigation into the proposed breakaway, demanding answers from all of the Big Six.
And the Prem agreed, vowing to ensure its rulebook would rule out any possibility of the plotters coming back for a second attempt. Club chiefs will also have to sign an ‘Owners’ charter’ in future.
A statement read: “The Premier League, supported by The FA, is taking the following actions to protect our game, our clubs and their fans from further disruption and uncertainty:
“Additional rules and regulation to ensure the principles of the Premier League and open competition are protected A new Owners’ Charter that all club owners will be required to sign up to, committing them to the core principles of the Premier League.
“Breaches of these rules and the Charter will be subject to significant sanctions. We are enlisting the support of Government to bring in appropriate legislation to protect football’s open pyramid, principles of sporting merit and the integrity of the football community.
“And we will work with the fan groups, Government, Uefa, The FA, EFL, PFA and LMA to defend the integrity and future prospects of English Football.”
Credit: PA REDS RESPOND
Manchester United have released a statement in response to Sunday’s fan protests at Old Trafford and refuted the idea supporters were allowed into the stadium by club staff.
It read: “Following events yesterday, while many fans wanted to exercise their right to protest and express their opinion peacefully, some were intent on disrupting the team’s preparation and the game itself, as evidenced by activity at the Lowry Hotel and at the stadium.
“Reports in mainstream and social media that protesters were able to access the stadium and pitch via a gate opened by club staff are completely incorrect.
“After breaking through barriers and security on the forecourt, some protestors climbed the gates at the end of the Munich tunnel, then forced access to a side door in the stand, before opening an external door that let others through to the concourse area and the pitch.
“A second breach occurred when a protestor smashed the door of a disability access lift, enabling a group to enter the stand. The majority of our fans have and will condemn criminal damage, along with any violence towards club staff, police or other fans, and these now become a police matter.
“The club has no desire to see peaceful protestors punished, but will work with the police to identify those involved in criminal activity, and will also issue its own sanctions to any season ticket holder or member identified, per the published sanctions policy.”
FULL FA STATEMENT ON MAN UTD FAN PROTESTS
Since we became aware of the European Super League our priority and focus has been on preventing it from happening, both now and in the future.
Throughout this period, we have been in ongoing discussions with the Government, the Premier League and UEFA. In particular, we have been discussing legislation with Government that would allow us to prevent any similar threat in the future so that we can protect the English football pyramid.
Last week, we started an official inquiry into the formation of the European Super League and the involvement of the six English clubs.
We wrote to all of the clubs to formally request all relevant information and evidence regarding their participation. Once we have the required information, we will consider what appropriate steps to take.
Clearly what happened was unacceptable and could have caused great harm to clubs at every level of English football. The fans have played a vital and impactful role in helping to stop the European Super League from happening, and we understand their frustrations.
However, we cannot condone the violent and criminal behaviour that took place before the scheduled Manchester United vs Liverpool match, which The FA is now investigating.
EUR IN WITH A CHANCE
Up to 9,500 fans will be allowed into the Europa League final, Uefa have confirmed.
Local authorities in Gdansk, Poland have announced they plan to allow up to 25 per cent of the stadium’s capacity to be filled for the May 26 showpiece. Manchester United look set to be there after a 6-2 first leg win over Roma while Arsenal have to overcome a 2-1 loss to Villareal to make it.
Uefa said: “Ticket sales have now started exclusively on UEFA.com and will run until 14.00 CEST on Friday 7 May 2021. Supporters from abroad will have to comply with border entry restrictions and requirements that will be in force at the time of the final as no exemptions will be granted to ticket holders.
“Access to the stadium will be granted in line with the applicable local legislation, which is to be confirmed by the local authorities during this week and may include the need for proof of a vaccine or a negative COVID-19 test result.
“UEFA will reimburse the full price of the ticket to successful buyers, should a reduction to the stadium capacity be announced by the local authorities at a later stage.
“For the sales process on UEFA.com, tickets will not be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Instead, a ballot will be conducted to allocate the tickets once the application period has ended.”
IN THE RED – LATEST
The FA has confirmed it has opened an official investigation into the ‘violent and criminal’ invasion of Old Trafford. And the Premier league weighed in by slamming the ‘minority’ of fans whose conduct can ‘have no justification’.
Manchester United’s crunch clash with Liverpool on Sunday was postponed after more than 200 United fans stormed into the stadium and congregated on the pitch. Camera equipment, balls and other items were stolen and wrecked, with some invaders climbing onto the goals and nets.
And in the FA’s first public statement on the incident, Wembley chiefs attempted to demonstrate how the Old Trafford scenes could destroy much of the positive impact of fan power deployed to see off the European Super League.
United’s part in the Super League plot appeared to be the straw that broke the camel’s back after more than 15 years of protests against the Glazer family and their ownership of the club.
An FA spokesperson said: “The fans have played a vital and impactful role in helping to stop the European Super League from happening, and we understand their frustrations.
“However, we cannot condone the violent and criminal behaviour that took place before the scheduled Manchester United vs Liverpool match, which the FA is now investigating.”
‘DONNY SHOULD FIGHT’ – OVERMARS
Dutch legend Marc Overmars has called for Donny van de Beek to fight for his place at Old Trafford.
The former Arsenal winger told NOS: “I think Donny should just fight, stay next year and try to claim a starting place.
“You shouldn’t leave so quickly.”
Donny van de Beek trains with Man UtdLIVERPOOL MATCH SET FOR MAY 16?
The most likely course of action will be that Liverpool’s trip to West Brom, scheduled for May 16, will now be brought forward by four days to May 12, when United are due to be playing Leicester.
That will allow the rescheduled clash of the north-west giants to be played at Old Trafford on Sunday, May 16.
Stadiums are allowed to welcome back up to 10,000 fans from May 17.
Credit: Reuters OLE IN
Borussia Dortmund have slashed their asking price for long-term Manchester United target Jadon Sancho to less than £80million ahead of the summer transfer window.
According to SPORT, Dortmund have dropped their financial demands significantly and thus Sancho may be available for a fee in the region of £74-78m.
Credit: AFP FANS PRESENT 4-POINT PLAN
The Manchester United Supporters Trust have also published a four-point plan for moving the club forward.
Here are their demands:
1. Willingly and openly engage and promote the government initiated fan-led review of football and use this as an opportunity to rebalance the current ownership structure in the favour of supporters.
2. Immediately appoint independent directors to the board whose sole purpose is to protect the interest of the club as a football club, not its shareholders.
3. Work with the Manchester United Supporters Trust and supporters more broadly to put in place a share scheme that is accessible to all and that has shares with the same voting rights as those held by the Glazer family. Should the appetite be there amongst fans then you should welcome, and offer no opposition to, the Glazer Family shareholding being reduced to a minority or indeed being bought out altogether.
4. Commit to full consultation with season ticket holders on any significant changes to the future of our club, including the competitions we play in.
The fans have asked for a response to the plan – “in public and in writing” – by Friday.
Credit: AP
FANS PUBLISH OPEN LATER TO JOEL GLAZER
The Manchester United Supports Trust have published an open letter to United co-owner Joel Glazer.
In the letter, the trust say: “No-one wants what happened at Old Trafford yesterday to be a regular event.
“We are football fans and we want to support our team. We don’t want to spend our days off work protesting outside our football ground.
“But what happened was the culmination of sixteen years in which your family’s ownership of the club has driven us into debt and decline, and we have felt ever more sidelined and ignored.
“After sixteen years not one member of the Glazer family has ever had so much as a conversation with us, the club’s Supporters Trust. Yesterday, that frustration reached boiling point.
“For the vast majority of the thousands of attendees at the protest they made their voice heard peacefully and respectfully.
“We support the right of fans to protest lawfully and, although we did not personally witness any such acts, of course we do not condone any acts of violence.”
WHEN WILL THE MATCH BE PLAYED?
With United playing in a Europa League semi-final on Thursday, there is little time remaining in the season for the postponed Liverpool game to be played.
Here is the current schedule…
HAAL OVER
Borussia Dortmund have claimed Erling Haaland has agreed to stay with them this summer.
The 20-year-old striker is one of the most-coveted players on the planet thanks to his incredible goalscoring exploits in Germany.
Manchester United, Chelsea, Man City plus Real Madrid and Barcelona were all linked with a £150m-rated transfer swoop.
Sporting director Sebastian Kehl said: “I understand that Erling Haaland will play for Borussia Dortmund in the new season.
“Erling totally agrees. I see him every day and I can say that he completely identifies with the club.”
Credit: Getty FAN PUNCHED
Footage shows a young man being dragged behind a police van by multiple officers during yesterday’s protest outside United’s team hotel, as cops shout at him to “stop resisting”.
One masked officer appears to punch the 28-year-old a number of times as he is restrained on the pavement, before pushing away people filming.
He yells at the person recording “get back now” and “do as I say”, before the individual says “I am doing as you say, no need to touch me”.
Click here to watch the remarkable footage.
MORE SCHMEICHEL COMMENTS
Peter Schmeichel has also been chatting to American channel CBS Sports about the situation at United.
The former goalkeeper said: “If you look at potential buyers, are they going to make it much better? Is it going to be different?
“I think everyone feels that the Glazer family is a little bit too detached from the club. They are there now and again, but they are not there every week.
“You never see Joel Glazer come out in front of the cameras and talk about the club, and I think that frustrates the fans a lot.
“We have this ownership, but from the outside, it looks like the owners don’t care, that it is just about money. I don’t think that’s completely the case.
“I think they are very proud of their ownership of Manchester United. I just think there is a need now for a restructuring of how it’s being operated.”
TOP COP DEFENDS COLLEAGUES
The former chief constable of Greater Manchester Police has defended the policing at Old Trafford yesterday.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Sir Peter Fahy said: “I am surprised the fans got into the ground.
“The security of the ground is a matter for the club, their stewards. Clearly they were met with a big crowd.
“We have seen from the scenes that quite a number of the people involved had been drinking.
“The club only pays for policing in the ground. All these additional costs – more officers, officers brought in from other forces – will fall to taxpayers.
“Obviously the police themselves could have used more force but the outcome probably would have been more officers injured, fans injured.
“Thankfully there weren’t a higher degree of assaults, injuries and disorder.”
G NEV WANTS FOOTBALL TO SUPPORT PROTEST
Gary Neville believes all football fans should support the United protesters.
Speaking yesterday, the former United defender said: “Look, I’ve never thought they were brilliant owners but I have seen in football that there are worse owners than the Glazer family.
“However, I think all football fans should unite today behind what Manchester United fans have done because honestly, what they [the owners] did two weeks ago was really dangerous for English football, we must not forget that.
“They tried to create a famine two weeks ago in English football, in Dutch football, in German football, in French football, all over Europe.
“Those 15 clubs would have walked away from their leagues with their money and basically destroyed the ethos of the pyramid of relegation and promotion in English football, so that’s number one.”
IN THE RED
Manchester United could be slapped with a points deduction or a heavy fine after fans’ protests forced the Liverpool game to be postponed.
The Red Devils were due to host their arch-rivals at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.
But a faction of anti-Glazer protesters managed to break into the stadium and got on to the pitch before kick-off, while others barricaded the players in The Lowry Hotel.
And now the FA are investigating the chaotic scenes to determine what punishment they will hand out.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side currently sit second in the Premier League table on 67 points.
Leicester are third on 63 with Chelsea in the fourth Champions League spot a further two back.
The chasing pack of Tottenham (56), West Ham (55), Liverpool (54) and Everton (52) still hold hopes of creeping into the top four.
SCHMEICHEL HAS HIS SAY
Peter Schmeichel wants the Glazers to remain in charge of Manchester United.
The former goalkeeper believes the owners should look to work with the fans rather than sell up.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, he said: “I’m really struggling to see how you can organise the fans to collect $4billion and take over the club.
“That would, of course, be the ideal solution – but the fact is you need someone to take it over from the Glazer family.
“I would much rather try and work with the current owners and see if it’s possible to get them to understand what the football club is all about.
“The two biggest clubs – Liverpool and Manchester United – were going to play yesterday. They were instigators in the European Super League and we’ve seen their owners [Liverpool] not understanding what Liverpool is.
“No disrespect to the people of Liverpool, but they were trying to hike the ticket prices to £70. If you spend a little bit of time in Liverpool, you will realise that’s not possible – it’s not reality.
“At the end of the day, we play football for the fans. Without any fans, there won’t be any football.”
BRISTOL CITY 0-1 UNITED
United Women’s picked up a 1-0 win against Bristol City yesterday, although it is extremely unlikely they’ll qualify for the Champions League.
The Red Devils are three points behind third-placed Arsenal with an inferior goal difference and will need a miracle to overturn the 26-GOAL gap.
Yana Daniels’ late own goal was the difference at Twerton Park and United are all but certain to finish fourth in this year’s WSL.
ED FOR ED
Edwin van der Sar revealed he ‘could only work for Ajax or Manchester United’ after being linked with replacing Ed Woodward.
The former Red Devils goalkeeper, 50, is currently the chief executive at the Dutch giants, where he spent the first nine years of his senior career.
He told ESPN Netherlands: “The pressure is different and I won’t work at a club where I don’t have a feeling.
“I could only do this for Ajax or United. I would not work for any other clubs.
“I am really happy with how we have [developed] Ajax in the last couple of years.”
Credit: Getty PAUL CHANGE
Roy Keane would swap Paul Pogba for Jack Grealish at Manchester United ‘tomorrow’ if he could.
The Irishman told Sky Sports: “I’d swap Grealish for Pogba tomorrow, absolutely. Of course (they can all play together). Why not?
“We look at the stats for Manchester United over the last few years, whether it’s getting to semi-finals or ten league games where they’ve drawn, seven or eight of them have been 0-0.
“They’ve not had the quality in the crunch times. You can talk about Pogba, but they’ve not done it when they’ve had to do it.
“If Grealish comes in, get rid of one or two of them, get rid of Pogba, move him on.
“They’re talking about a contract, I think they’re worried because he’s into the last year, if they’re going to cash in on him, then do it this summer.
“You can’t have enough quality players at a club like Manchester United.”
Credit: PA
MORNING, MAN UTD FANS
The Red Devils’ game with Liverpool was called off yesterday, after a section of protesting fans stormed Old Trafford.
Thousands of disillusioned supporters gathered outside the Theatre of Dreams for a predominantly peaceful protest against the ownership of the Glazer family.
A section of protesters managed to breach security and enter the ground, with an idiotic few damaging camera equipment and throwing flares.
After initially delaying kick-off, it was determined that safety couldn’t be guaranteed, despite fans having been dispersed – leading to the match’s postponement.
Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Micah Richards and Roy Keane were wholeheartedly in favour of the United supporters’ stand, barring the odd idiot.
Neville, 46, said: “This is a consequence of the Manchester United owners’ actions two weeks ago. There is a general distrust and dislike of the owners, but they weren’t protesting two or three weeks ago.
“The Glazer family are struggling to meet the financial requirements at this club and the fans are saying that their time is up.
“My view is quite simply that they’re going to make a fortune if they sell the club and if they were to put it up for sale now I think the time would be right, and it would be the honourable thing to do.”
FITS TO SIZE
The Premier League fixture list has been thrown into chaos after Manchester United’s home clash with Liverpool was postponed due to furious fan protests.
No new date for the game has yet been confirmed, with both clubs in urgent discussions to thrash out a plan.
The end-of-season run-in is tight, especially for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer given his side are set to play the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Roma in the Italian capital on Thursday.
United would normally fly out to Italy early on Wednesday.
They could, in theory, play against Liverpool today.
But the potential risk of a further fans protest was being assessed last night, especially given the heavy police involvement yesterday.
Liverpool might have to shift their game against West Brom on Sunday May 16 to the Monday and visit United on Friday 14 — the day before the FA Cup Final.
Both teams must play their last games of the season on May 23 at 4pm, with that kick-off time set in stone alongside the rest of the top-flight fixtures that day.
United and Liverpool are also in midweek action on May 19 — plus there is already a full fixture list next weekend.
Angry Man Utd supporters protested outside Old Trafford ICYMI – PREMIER LEAGUE STATEMENT
The Premier League have released a statement on this afternoon’s postponed clash between Manchester United and Liverpool.
It reads: “Following the security breach at Old Trafford, the Manchester United vs. Liverpool game has been postponed.
“This is a collective decision from the police, both clubs, the Premier League and local authorities.
“The security and safety of everyone at Old Trafford remains of paramount importance. We understand and respect the strength of feeling but condemn all acts of violence, criminal damage and trespass, especially given the associated COVID-19 breaches.
“Fans have many channels by which to make their views known, but the actions of a minority seen today have no justification.
“We sympathise with the police and stewards who had to deal with a dangerous situation that should have no place in football.
“The rearrangement of the fixture will be communicated in due course.”
Todayâs game was postponed after fan protests at Old Trafford ICYMI –
MANCHESTER UNITED STATEMENT
Man United have released the following statement, in the wake of their match with Liverpool being called off this afternoon.
It reads: “Following discussion between the Police, The Premier League, Trafford Council and the clubs, our match against Liverpool has been postponed due to safety and security considerations around the protest today.
“Discussions will now take place with the Premier League on a revised date for the fixture.
“Our fans are passionate about Manchester United, and we completely acknowledge the right to free expression and peaceful protest.
“However, we regret the disruption to the team and actions which put other fans, staff, and the police in danger. We thank the police for their support and will assist them in any subsequent investigations.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
