The protests were sparked by the failed European Super League proposals, and turned ugly on Sunday afternoon ahead of the league fixture
Over a thousand Manchester United fans protested against the Glazer ownership ahead of the fixture against Liverpool, as some broke into the stadium and got onto the pitch.
Fans turned up at Old Trafford at 1pm to protest against the Glazer ownership with banners and flares.
They pushed down barriers to force their way into the ground and made their way onto the pitch ahead of one of the biggest games of the season. Chants of “we want Glazers out” could be heard as they stormed into the ground.
Editors’ Picks
- Why are Premier League clubs boycotting social media? English football’s blackout explained
- Social media silence is insignificant because racism doesn’t go away after three days
- Havertz in, Werner out? Tuchel faces just one dilemma after Chelsea’s perfect preparation before Real Madrid tie
- ‘Now is the time for change’ – Why Man Utd fans’ anti-Glazer family protests could succeed this time
What happened?
The protests were spurred on by the failed proposals of the European Super League, with supporters showing their anger against the Glazer family and trying to push for the 51% fan ownership model seen in Germany. It was the first planned protest the fans have taken part in since the ESL debacle nearly two weeks ago.
Footage then emerged on social media of some supporters on the pitch at Old Trafford, having broken into the stadium at around 2pm.
💪💪💪💪 pic.twitter.com/NDghqHpilL
— Red Issue (@RedIssue) May 2, 2021
The invaders were quickly removed from the pitch and police were working to clear debris from the playing surface, with the kick-off of Man Utd v Liverpool scheduled for 4.30pm.
The Premier League, who have a compliance officer on site, do not believe there are concerns about the game going ahead, as fans did not access the changing rooms so there were no coronacirus protocol breaches.
Why are they protesting?
Manchester United fans have been opposed to the Glazer ownership since the American family bought the club in 2005.
They bought the club through a leveraged buyout for around £790 million ($1.1 billion). The money for the buyout was funded by debt that they would pay off from the club’s future profits.
Since then the club have already paid out over £1 billion (€1.4bn) in bank fees and dividends to the owners.
While there have been protests over the years they have ramped up again recently due to the club’s involvement in the proposal of the ESL.
Joel Glazer was one of the driving forces behind the now botched plans and it has reignited anger amongst the supporters who want the family to sell their shares in the club.
Further reading
- Why Man Utd fans’ Glazers protest could succeed this time
- Man Utd vs Liverpool the most historic game of all – Solskjaer
- Solskjaer hopes Man Utd form convinces Pogba & Cavani to stay
