Angry Manchester United fans STORM onto the pitch at Old Trafford
Angry Manchester United fans BREAK IN to Old Trafford and storm the pitch as thousands gather to protest against hated Glazer owners, leaving Liverpool game in serious doubt as cameras are broken, yobs climb onto goalposts as stadium is placed in lockdown
- Hundreds of Manchester United fans were able to storm Old Trafford and get onto the pitch ahead of their match with Liverpool
- The fans are protesting against United’s American owners, the Glazer family, in the wake of the doomed European Super League project
- A huge crowd assembled outside Old Trafford where smoke flares were set off
- Then a section breached security to get inside the stadium and onto the pitch
- Another group tried to blockade the Lowry Hotel where players are staying
Hundreds of Manchester United supporters stormed the pitch at Old Trafford ahead of their game against Liverpool in protest at the club’s American owners.
It came after many more blockaded the entrance to the Lowry Hotel where the United players and staff are staying.
It is understood Sunday afternoon’s match against Liverpool will still go ahead at 4.30pm as scheduled although the teams have yet to arrive at Old Trafford.
Liverpool have been held back at their team hotel by Greater Manchester Police, while match referee Michael Oliver has reportedly been turned away from the ground.
Officials at Old Trafford convened an emergency meeting to determine whether any Covid-19 protocols had been breached following the stadium invasion.
Fans shouted ‘we want Glazers out’ and ‘United, United’ as they walked onto the pitch.
One protester was filmed picking up a camera tripod from a pitchside media position and hurling it onto the pitch.
Others tried to get down the tunnel, while another took a corner flag and some swung from the crossbar of one of the goals. Many were clutching beer bottles.
Later, television footage from inside the ground showed a smaller number of fans still inside the stadium. Some clambered over the seating to taunt stewards.
Thousands had assembled at an organised protest outside Old Trafford against the Glazer family and their efforts to sign United up to the European Super League.
Hundreds of Manchester United fans have stormed the pitch at Old Trafford in protest at the club’s American owners ahead of Sunday afternoon’s match with Liverpool
These were the extraordinary scenes inside the stadium as protesters breached security to get onto the turf just two hours ahead of the Liverpool game
One fan among those who stormed Old Trafford grabbed the corner flag
The crowd that breached Old Trafford perimeter gathered in front of the south stand
A red flare is let off inside Old Trafford as Manchester United fans protest on Sunday
Protesting fans set off smoke flares outside Old Trafford as they make their feelings known
The Glazer family, United’s owners, signed the club up to the European Super League before making a u-turn 48 hours later amid a furious backlash
Thousands of United fans protested outside and inside Old Trafford against the Glazer regime
Some demanded the installation of Germany’s 50+1 ownership model at the protest
Security personnel battled in vain to keep the protesters outside the stadium
It is believed those who gained access to the ground did so via the Munich Tunnel, after pushing down barriers, despite the attempts of security guards to prevent that happening.
The departure of the team bus on the short journey from central Manchester to Old Trafford was delayed as police tried to force back the crowds and restore order.
A ring of riot police surrounded the steps leading up to the hotel entrance to allow the players to board the team coach safely.
Smoke bombs were set off both outside the Lowry and outside Old Trafford.
United were one of six Premier League clubs who initially signed up to the doomed project last month. They all withdrew 48 hours later following a furious backlash from the wider football community.
Joel Glazer made an apology to supporters for signing up to the doomed Super League project but many United fans carried placards at the protest reading ‘apology not accepted’.
Angry fans make their feeling known outside Old Trafford as part of Sunday’s protests
Fans told the glazer family their apology over joining the Super League wasn’t accepted
Fans in green and gold protest scarves chant outside Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon
Stewards struggled to contain the fans who invaded the pitch through a corner of the stadium near the Stretford End.
They kicked footballs laid out for the pre-match warm-ups. Many of the fans wore green and gold scarves – the colours of Newton Heath, the predecessor of Man United – which have become emblematic of the anti-Glazer movement.
But the crowd did quickly disperse back outside the stadium after a few minutes at around 2.20pm, just over two hours before kick-off.
United were one of six Premier League teams signed up to the European Super League project
A masked supporter in a green and gold scarf with a smoke flare outside Old Trafford
