Manchester United Fans Break Into Old Trafford, Storm Field in Protest Before Liverpool Match
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Manchester United fans breached the stadium prior to the club’s home match against Liverpool on Sunday in a protest against the club’s owners.
Manchester United fans broke into Old Trafford and rushed the field in a protest against the club’s owners on Sunday.
The protest took place just two hours before Manchester United was set to host historic rival Liverpool at Old Trafford. Fans hoisted signs admonishing the club’s involvement in the proposed Super League and wore green-and-yellow scarves that represent the movement against the the Glazer family, the club owners who also own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The protests began outside of the Lowry Hotel in Manchester, where the team stays before its home games, before moving to Old Trafford. At the stadium, which is set to hold a limited-capacity crowd, fans took the field while setting off flares and smoke bombs.
Fans stayed on the field for roughly 10 minutes where a select group played soccer, threw camera tripods and ran off with mementos including the corner flags and posters.
After security ferried off the protesters without incident, the club announced that the game would not be postponed, but that it was concerned the team buses wouldn’t be able to arrive, according to the NBC Sports broadcast.
Less than 90 minutes before the start of the game, another group of fans ran onto the pitch where a heavier security presence managed the breach. A Sky Sports broadcast reported that the match referees had been turned away from the stadium entrance by protesters.
Manchester United currently sits in second place in the Premier League and is expected to reach the Europa League final after defeating AS Roma 6–2 in the semifinal first leg last week. A loss on Sunday to Liverpool would clinch the Premier League title for crosstown rival Manchester City.
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