May 3 – In an unprecedented fallout from the aborted European Super League, the English Premier League was forced to abandon one of its showpiece games of the season, Manchester United versus Liverpool, on Sunday amid mass protests over United’s American owners.
Although English matches are still played behind closed doors, scores of fans stormed Old Trafford, breaking through a door and on to the pitch hours before the game to express their feelings about the Glazer family, while thousands more filled the concourse outside the ground.
“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,” United said in a statement after the game was called off. “Discussions will now take place with the Premier League on a revised date for the fixture.”
Liverpool issued a statement saying they were in full agreement with the decision.
An hour after the scheduled kick-off, both sets of players were still stuck in their hotels and in a statement the Premier League said supporters had overstepped the mark in expressing their opposition to the club’s involvement in the Super League.
“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,” the Premier League said.
While the protest had been planned as peaceful, it descended into chaos as fans somehow got into the ground while those outside let off green and gold flares – the colours of United’s shirts when they were originally formed as Newton Heath 1878 and adopted by those who have regularly protested against the club’s hierarchy.
Mounted police moved in to try to clear the areas outside the stadium and there were ugly clashes with bottles and barriers being thrown at police officers.
Police said that protestors getting into the ground meant “some United staff having to lock themselves in rooms”.
“Those in the stadium were evicted by officers but outside on the forecourt, hostility grew with bottles and barriers being thrown at officers and horses.”
“Two officers have been injured with one officer being attacked with a bottle and sustaining a significant slash wound to his face requiring emergency hospital treatment.”
It was the first time a Premier League match had been postponed because of fan protests and followed United’s initial decision to join the ESL along with five other English clubs.
In the wake of the project collapsing, United co-chairman Joel Glazer said the club “apologised unreservedly” but the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) said it had “zero trust in the owners”.
Choosing its words carefully, the group said the protests had been “the culmination of 16 years since the Glazer family’s acquisition of the club”.
It added: “On the back of the indefensible ESL proposals, and an “apology” from the Glazers which we do not accept, we need to give fans a meaningful share in the ownership of United and a meaningful voice in how it is run.”
Fans are calling for a move towards the German system of a 50+1 shareholding – limiting the influence of any single shareholder. Fans frequently referred to the £400 million of debt the club had, and that when it was acquired there was no debt. However, debt is only really an issue if the business can’t afford it, and even in covid times Manchester United have met all their financial responsibilities.
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