Old Trafford protests puts Manchester United v Liverpool game in doubt – live!
Old Trafford #OldTrafford
12.36pm EDT 12:36
BREAKING NEWS: THE GAME HAS BEEN POSTPONED
No word yet on when it will be played.
12.33pm EDT 12:33
“The uncertainty surrounding the adjusted kickoff time is wreaking havoc with my beer and chips planning,” hics Paul Pooley.
12.30pm EDT 12:30
Rob Smyth is back, which is great news for all of you.
Updated at 12.30pm EDT
12.26pm EDT 12:26
The fans also took a ball onto the pitch, so they at least got to live out a lifelong dream of playing on the hallowed turf.
12.21pm EDT 12:21
The Glazers do not seem too keen on selling the club, so this process might be dragged out for a while. They might give this concept a bit of a shrug.
12.16pm EDT 12:16
Mark Ogden on 5Live says he was told it would take 90 minutes to clean the ‘red zone’ within Old Trafford. This could take a while.
12.11pm EDT 12:11
There was a heavy police presence at Old Trafford earlier.
Police attempt to disperse those in attendance at Old Trafford. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images
12.09pm EDT 12:09
It’s already the top story on 5Live news. One of the most recent callers believes writing a letter to the Glazers would have been a better idea.
12.06pm EDT 12:06
The turf is deserted at Old Trafford and the warm up nets are on the pitch. However, there is no news of whether the match will go ahead today (or any other day).
12.02pm EDT 12:02
Some individuals did get into the players’ tunnel at Old Trafford so the Premier League’s Covid compliance officer will have to be content that the requisite areas have been disinfected and are safe for the match to take place today.
Updated at 12.03pm EDT
12.01pm EDT 12:01
I’m going to take a quick break, before I have an accident at my desk. Will Unwin will keep you updated for the next 20 minutes or so, cheers.
12.00pm EDT 12:00
“I have to say I was disgusted at Graeme Souness’s ill-informed pro-Glazer stance on Sky,” says Steve in Cork. “He said they improved the stadium. They haven’t. The last improvements were made after the Glazers took over but were planned and approved before that. Since then the stadium has been falling apart. When you see it up close it’s rotten and disgusting.
“As for players, the Glazers haven’t put any of their own money in. They haven’t invested anything. The club has bought and sold players based on money it’s earned but when you look at when United have actually spent big money since Ferguson left, it’s only happened when United were outside the Champions League places. The Glazers are happy to sanction some spending to maintain Champions League football and keep the money rolling in but that’s it. It’s all about the illusion of success for the Glazers. They’re happy to do the bare minimum while they bleed the club dry.”
Yes that was a bit weird – even the Glazers, who haven’t bothered to hide their bloodsucking intent, would probably pull him up on his comments. On the plus side, he didn’t blame Paul Pogba.
11.55am EDT 11:55
“I was looking forward to a decent game of football this afternoon,” says Pádraig McAuliffe. “However, I’m delighted to see the protests. In modern society, politics is broken and attention spans are short. Things like #MeToo, Windrush, #OscarsSoWhite etc show that change only comes with persistent protest. Football isn’t as important as these things, but it needs reform. Each and every reminder of this is welcome. Measured, rolling protest is the only way forward – a reckoning must be forced.
11.55am EDT 11:55
Our Gary has suggested the game could be played tomorrow afternoon, and points out there are issues around nutrition and preparation if the kick-off is delayed. Roy Keane says, if it was him, he’d rather play. If it was him.
11.50am EDT 11:50
There has just been an announcement at Old Trafford that the stadium is now secure. Still no kick-off time though.
11.50am EDT 11:50
Apparently the match ball and one of the corner flags are on a tour of central Manchester. It’s lovely that, even amid such a furious protest, somebody has found time to pay homage to the travelling gnome from Amelie.
11.48am EDT 11:48
Thanks again for your emails. I’m trying and failing to keep up with them all. I’ve received about five times as many today as I would during a normal game. I’m not sure what the moral of this particularly story is.
11.43am EDT 11:43
If the ground has been cleared, as Sky are suggesting, there are three potential barriers to the match being played:
1. Getting the teams out of their hotels
2. A possible breach of the Covid bubble
3. Line of Duty’s on at 9.
11.42am EDT 11:42
“Regarding the decision to go ahead or not, Rob,” says Ian Copestake, “do you think this will involve VAR?”
Look, I can see the funny side of most things, but you’ve crossed a line there. A badly drawn line at that.
11.38am EDT 11:38
There are some exceedingly arresting photos in this
Protesting Manchester United fans invade Old Trafford – in pictures
Updated at 11.38am EDT
11.36am EDT 11:36
In the interest of balance department
“Emails are dominated by the XXX supporters who don’t care about the large numbers of football lovers who don’t give a damn about ‘cold nights in Swansea’,” says Jazi Zilber. “I just spoke with a friend. For him internationals and any game before the CL semis aren’t worth watching. The closed club was wrong. But a Super League with most games being watchable, competitive and with players whose names you know is a brilliant concept!”
11.34am EDT 11:34
It’s worth repeating that NBC are saying there has been a breach of the Covid bubble (4.10pm). If true, it means the game has to be postponed. Technically. I’ve a feeling we haven’t heard the last of this, because the Premier League are reportedly denying that any supporters went into the dressing-rooms.
11.31am EDT 11:31
Peep peep! The game should have been kicking off right now. It may still be played, as the police have managed to clear the forecourt at Old Trafford. But the teams are still at their team hotels.
11.28am EDT 11:28
“It seems any protest these days is a dirty protest,” says Ian Copestake. “While I am sad to be spared seeing us beat Utd only to lose the next three games, I support the right of middle fingers to be raised to the man.”
Or woman
11.26am EDT 11:26
Whatever the strength of feeling about the Glazers – or, indeed, anything – breaking into a venue, going onto property when not allowed is illegal and completely counter-productive to the very sentiment behind the protest. And, the bottom line, is this will have repercussions…
11.26am EDT 11:26
Gary Neville is off on another spectacular one about the European Super League. This-is a million times better than the match would have been.
“I think it would be the right thing to do for the Glazers to sell. Whether they will is another matter. I’ve seen the 50+1 protests – I don’t think that’s implementable in English football, as great as it potentially would be. What I do think is achievable in English football at this time if that every fan in this country – whether it’s an EFL club or a National League club that’s struggling abnd dying like you wouldn’t believe, whether it’s grassroots facilities in the community and you can’t afford to keep your pitches in a good state, whether you’re the 14 Premier League clubs outside the top six – you really know that you’re in danger from those six.
“So what’s achievable? There’s a fan-led review that’s been announced in the last week by the government, and there is independent regulation that could be achievable if fans mobilise together. We need to make sure there are protections put in place against these six owners. They are a danger to English football and to one of the greatest assests England has. Big Picture, they put a proposal forward and it was kicked back. Then they said they’d signed up to the European Super League, which took it a stage further. The next time, you won’t get asked. They’ll just leave. They’re not going away.”
11.18am EDT 11:18
The stadium has been put into another lockdown, a steward has just told the media outside Old Trafford.
Police officers deal with a flare that was thrown through a window at Old Trafford. Photograph: Anthony Devlin/Offside/Getty Images
Updated at 11.22am EDT
11.16am EDT 11:16
Official Premier League update
“After the security breach at Old Trafford we can confirm the Manchester United v Liverpool match will not kick-off at 16:30 BST.
The safety of everyone at Old Trafford is paramount.
At present there is no revised kick-off time. We will update accordingly.”
11.13am EDT 11:13
Thanks for all your emails, which I’m doing my best to sift through. It’s really interesting that, after the initial, instinctive condemnation, there is more and more support for the protests. Gary Neville is off on one again about the Glazers and Florentino Perez.
11.12am EDT 11:12
Roy Keane’s verdict
“I have sympathy with the fans, 100 per cent. It’s a tipping point for them. It was peaceful. One or two bottles were thrown and a couple of flares – I think that was towards Jamie to be fair – but they’ve had enough. Enough’s enough. United have some of the best fans in the world and we’ve seen today that they’ve come to the end with the ownership.”