Dugout Discussion

Man Utd v Liverpool postponed after protests in and around Old Trafford

Sunday’s Premier League match between Manchester United and Liverpool has been officially postponed following supporter protests inside and outside Old Trafford.

No new date has yet been announced by the Premier League but available windows are thin on the ground.

Thousands of Manchester United fans had been protesting against the club’s ownership ahead of kick-off, with supporters present around the stadium and separately holding up the departure of the team buses from the Lowry Hotel.

A small section of fans had also made it onto the pitch during the demonstration.

A statement from United said:

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. Discussions will now take place with the Premier League on a revised date for the fixture.

Our fans are passionate about Manchester United, and we completely acknowledge the right to free expression and peaceful protest. 
 
However, we regret the disruption to the team and actions which put other fans, staff, and the police in danger. We thank the police for their support and will assist them in any subsequent investigations.

The Premier League added in their own statement:

Following the security breach at Old Trafford, the Manchester United v Liverpool game has been postponed. This is a collective decision from the police, both clubs, the Premier League and local authorities. The security and safety of everyone at Old Trafford remains of paramount importance.

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. Fans have many channels by which to make their views known, but the actions of a minority seen today have no justification.

We sympathise with the police and stewards who had to deal with a dangerous situation that should have no place in football.

The rearrangement of the fixture will be communicated in due course.

WHEN COULD THE REARRANGED MATCH TAKE PLACE?

Man Utd v Liverpool kick-off delayed as protesting fans invade Old Trafford pitch 2

Playing the rearranged game tomorrow night (still within Gameweek 34) is one scenario providing security concerns aren’t an ongoing issue and any relevant rearrangements can be made, with the Red Devils still getting a 72-hour window before their rematch with Roma.

Aside from that, the only free slot that Manchester United have is on the weekend of May 15/16 (Gameweek 36) – when Liverpool are in action against West Bromwich Albion.

West Brom v Liverpool could, theoretically, be moved back a few days into the midweek of Gameweek 35, creating a ‘double’ for both teams and allowing Manchester United v Liverpool to take place in Gameweek 36:

Thanks again to Legomane for the graphic.

TEAM NEWS

The teamsheets had actually been released as normal an hour before the scheduled kick-off time.

The headline news was that Diogo Jota (£7.1m) was only among the substitutes, with Jurgen Klopp reverting back to his tried-and-tested 4-3-3 set-up following a dalliance with a more attacking formation last weekend.

Jota was one of two players who dropped out of the starting XI, with Georginio Wijnaldum (£5.3m) also making way.

Nat Phillips (£4.1m) had been passed fit, while James Milner (£5.3m) was recalled in the middle of the park.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s line-up showed only one change from the side he sent out to face Leeds United last weekend.

Paul Pogba (£7.6m) returned, with Daniel James (£6.2m) dropping out.

SUNDAY’S OTHER GAMEWEEK 34 ACTION

A match that had very little impact on the upper echelons of Fantasy Premier League went the way of the visitors at St James’ Park.

Thanks to a combination of injuries, rotation and general disinterest in either side, not a single player on show had an effective ownership of greater than 0.27% in the top 10k.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.3m) was back in the starting XI after a spell out with malaria and continued his fine individual record against a listless and potentially ‘on the beach’ Newcastle United, scoring one and fortuitously assisting another en route to a first double-digit haul since Gameweek 24.

A third of his 12 attacking returns this season have come against the Magpies.

Budget FPL midfielder Gabriel Martinelli (£4.9m) set up the Gabon international’s goal, with the even-cheaper Mohamed Elneny (£4.2m) scoring the opener following an Aubameyang miscue.

Bernd Leno (£5.0m), Bukayo Saka (£5.1m), Emile Smith Rowe (£4.2m) and Rob Holding (£4.3m) were all either unused substitutes or not involved as Arteta once again ran wild with the rotation with one eye on Europe.

Arsenal were again without Kieran Tierney (£5.2m) and Alexandre Lacazette (£8.4m), with Arteta offering a pessimistic update ahead of kick-off.


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1,576 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Dr.Oftaw
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Warm up goals are now on pitch

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Also known as De Gea

        1. Dr.Oftaw
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          The nets!

      • Pep bites Kun
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Great! I'd like to see this match go ahead. Been looking forward to it. I like to take my fpl hat off for these big games 🙂

    2. Egg noodle
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      All this hype about a game that is 99% certain to end 0-0

      1. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        All this hype for a game that finishes with 23 FPL points when baps are included.

    3. Isco Disco
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Absolutely DISGRACEFUL behavior by Utd fans. Today y’all proved that Man Utd is no more one of the biggest clubs in the world with this farmer league behavior.
      UTD fans should be ashamed and f their clubs behavior and stop supporting this crap club run by historic glory

      1. Egg noodle
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        It's this generation to blame more than anything else. Always want something to protest about.

        1. AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Many looked to be in their 40s and 50s.

          Sweeping generalisations...

          1. HNI
            • 10 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            EGg Noodle is Boomer. Oldies always blame people younger than them

            1. Pat Bonner
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 12 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              Some rank million dollar man? Hoping Kane does nothing tonight!

              1. HNI
                • 10 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                I wanted to try to win it by risking Vardy C over Kane as won my cash league months ago...Dint work out but atleast I finished fpl by entering 500 HOF as was at 750 last year :). My idea is to be in top 1% in whatever I do, and touchwood a million in stocks by time I am 30 in 18 months 🙂

        2. @persecuted_by_mods
            2 years, 11 months ago

            *Old man yells at cloud*

            1. @persecuted_by_mods
                2 years, 11 months ago

                And if you are older and of a different generation, your memory must be bad if you've wiped your brain of many many protests

              • Egg noodle
                • 14 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Lol

            2. alsybach
              • 14 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              What ARE you talking about? THIS generation? Those blokes looked all ages, lots of 40 year olds plus there.

          • AC/DC AFC
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            It was 200 or so and probably a dozen or more od them.

            Out of how many?

          • Duke Silver ☑
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 9 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            You should work for Sky. They love an all caps adjective.

            1. AC/DC AFC
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 8 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              CAPTION WRITER...

          • HNI
            • 10 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            I am a pro capitalist and still I think it was amazing that after 10 years of peaceful protests falling on deaf ears they finally did civil disobedience. I hope they keep doing this till the greedy American owners sell to one of the 2-3bn offers they getting. Football is more than money and hope this European Super League inspires other clubs too

          • Ginkapo FPL
            • 12 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            The real question is why protest now?

            Glazers bought the club with the clubs own money. If that wasnt a big enough crime then this wasnt either

            1. Rassi
              • 9 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              Obviously ESL was a wake up call.

            2. HNI
              • 10 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              Now because of ESL they destroying the culture of club my making it shameless corporate. ESL is catalysts for lot of similar protests and hopefully changes in next few years. Along with Neville even Ole opined fans need to be listened too. Its amazing and I proud club I support and watched at Old trafford so many times is doing this

              1. Ginkapo FPL
                • 12 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                United IS shameless corporate. Has been for years

                1. HNI
                  • 10 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  And fans have been hating it since 2010. Now with ESL they had enough of it as its more than just shameless. Kudos to fans to go one step ahead after 10 years of peaceful protests

            3. Bartowski
              • 13 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              They've been lots of protests against the Glazers. Maybe not quite as obvious when fans were allowed in anyway.

          • Warblers
            • 8 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            I don't blame them one bit. The "Super League" was a disgrace.

        3. AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Would be dangerous precedent if relatively minor protests on TV were too prevent a match going ahead.

          Manchester is fairly angsty around the ground most days, especially afterwards if it didn't go well.

          Both Old Trafford and Maine Road was too.

          1. pingissimus
            • 5 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            You're missing the COVID angle - it'd be on now if it wasn't for that.

            1. Bartowski
              • 13 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              Added to that, Man United fans are notorious for licking things, it's just a recipe for disaster

        4. gooberman
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          I would imagine whats happening now is that the police will be trying to pull on resources from other areas to assist with escorting the teams to the ground given that a huge amount of them are policing the actually ground and ensuring that fans dont get back in or cause further issues at the ground

        5. Danno - Emre Canada
          • 9 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Bet there’s a few Herberts hiding in the stadium ready to streak during the game.

        6. g40steve
          • 6 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Outside stadium getting cleaned up & police cordoned off the main routes in @sky

        7. Danno - Emre Canada
          • 9 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Longer ramadan break now.

          1. Pep bites Kun
            • 7 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            How so?

            1. Danno - Emre Canada
              • 9 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              More time for no food or water before playing.

              1. Pep bites Kun
                • 7 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Not too sure if it strictly applies to those with a strenuous workload. I'm sure we wouldn't wish for this kind of hardship on a player anyway.

        8. OLD Rafiki
          • 3 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Does it hurt this much to united fans seeing city winning.

          1. Cantona's Kung Fu Kick
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            has nothing to do with city

            1. JONALDINHO
              • 6 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              Why today?

              1. @persecuted_by_mods
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Why not when city won the first or second or third league if that's solely the issue?

            2. Pep bites Kun
              • 7 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              City have been great. It's about time they did their bit for the city of Manchester 😉

          2. Slitherene
            • 6 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            BB week!!

            Sanchez | Areola
            TAA Shaw Lowton
            Salah Son Lingard Saka
            Kane Vardy Iheanacho
            ¦ Pereira Coady Phillips

            1 FT, 1.5 ITB

            Willing to take a hit. Suggest a transfer??

          3. Duke Silver ☑
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 9 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            Roy Keane must be thinking "I better be getting time and half for all this filler shíte"

            1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
              • 14 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              Grealish & Kane are his two picks to add to the Utd team

              That would be tasty

              1. @persecuted_by_mods
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Easy job being a pundit, who would you add to the team. The two best players in the league that aren't from a direct Liverpool Chelsea man city rival

                  1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
                    • 14 Years
                    2 years, 11 months ago

                    I’d actually prefer Raphinia to Grealish as he’s much better on the right - Grealish is fantastic from the left, but Rashford & Pogba both have that berth well covered

                    Kane & Haaland are a bit easy for the CF slot - but not sure either are realistic

                    Keeping Cavani & adding a cut price contract-expiring Danny Ings could be a reasonable stop gap, Ings injuries not withstanding

                    Still think Maguire & Lindelof will always hold them back from getting to the very top either way

                • keefy59
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 5 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Talks a lot of sense does Roy

            2. Dr.Oftaw
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 13 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              Gonna be 7pm KO at earliest

              1. Pat Bonner
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 12 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                They’d need 60-90mins from reaching stadium I reckon so could be later than that or tomorrow

            3. HuttonDressedasLahm
              • 14 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              Anyone else want the game off?
              Only Bruno, Jota (benched) and TAA for me
              Watkins 8 and Veltman 5 on my bench 🙂

              1. Hy liverpool
                • 10 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                If only our wishes would make any difference

              2. dunas_dog
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 8 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                No

              3. Forza Papac
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 8 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Yep. Only Jota and TAA. Sold Salah. Will be getting Ben White's 6pts off the bench.

              4. OLD Rafiki
                • 3 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                No need

              5. Phlajo
                • 4 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Are you serious? Absolutely plastic fan of football in general.

                If this is actually what you wish for, then FPL ruined football for you. Stop playing it, and start enjoying the real game instead.

              6. AC/DC AFC
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 8 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Never underestimate the power of FPL to narrow anyone's perspective!

              7. Eh, just one more thing ...
                • 12 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                With Jota, Dias and Coady on my bench ..... nooooooooooooooo. Hopefully gets played tomorrow worst case.

              8. Pep bites Kun
                • 7 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                You need to take the fpl hat off at times and enjoy the games themselves

              9. Warblers
                • 8 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Ridiculous.

            4. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
              • 14 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              Ooof Souness hauling Micah over the coals for endorsing “buying fouls”

              1. Danno - Emre Canada
                • 9 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Yeah a tad harsh, buying could could also mean, too good and has to be fouled.

              2. Scholes Out For Summer
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 10 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                A foul is a foul. Blame the refs who never call anything until a player goes down.

            5. Nightcrawler
              • 4 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              Imagine being so spoilt u need to protest when ur 2nd in the league and basically through to a european final

              1. @persecuted_by_mods
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Nobody can protest by that logic then, arsenal and kroenke? Can't complain they won an fa cup and are in the semis of Europe, Liverpool? Lots of success recently, Newcastle Mike Ashley? Plenty of championship teams would love to be in the Premier league

                  You can apply that logic to any team

                • Scholes Out For Summer
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 10 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  You’ve had some shockers lately....

                • The Sociologist
                  • 5 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  2/10

              2. el polako
                • 6 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Imagine same protest at City ?
                It would take some organising to get all these Japanese & Chinese tourist into Manchester at the same time.

                1. OverTinker
                  • 5 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Try Harder
                  Cry Harder

                2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
                  • 13 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  well they had to finish the united one early as they had to get back to London before dinner

                3. Qaiss
                  • 8 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Poor comment.

              3. HNI
                • 10 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Proud of Manutd fans. They finally showed they not just a harmless crowd who will protest during match for years and no one will care. Ole saying fans need to be heard helps the case too! ESL finally gave them courage to take matters in their hands and I hope other top clubs do same in next few matches so either greedy owners leave or govt is pressurized to make strong laws on ownerships and profits like 51% model in German Football

                1. The Sociologist
                  • 5 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Hopefully fans can keep the momentum of direct action going. They’ve been ignored for too long.

                  1. Debauchy
                    • 11 Years
                    2 years, 11 months ago

                    Football is not a social experiment , cmon

                    1. The Sociologist
                      • 5 Years
                      2 years, 11 months ago

                      Do you not think it would be a good thing to bring governance of clubs back closer to the actual fans? I don’t see how that can be achieved without causing a bit of a fuss in this way.

                2. Debauchy
                  • 11 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  What do they want though , football is huge money and if they want to compete at the top level they need these nasty billionaires to to do it for them. Its that damn simple

                  1. HNI
                    • 10 Years
                    2 years, 11 months ago

                    They want the billionaires to give back the money not increase the debt and put club on collateral. Thats just scavengers not helping club in anyway just their own networth

                3. Salan
                  • 14 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  What is that "Proud"? All these fans should be life-banned and even be charged.

                  If this can be encouraged and praised, we may see this kind of protest every week.

                  1. HNI
                    • 10 Years
                    2 years, 11 months ago

                    Ok Mr. Capitalist. I hope we get this protest in all big 6 matches next week

                4. Warblers
                  • 8 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Here here.

              4. SHOWSTOPPERRR
                • 6 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Has players departed from Lowry?

              5. Hazz
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 6 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Time to leave Manchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all of this to blow over.

              6. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
                • 13 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                stan collymore says match has been postponed

                1. Nightcrawler
                  • 4 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  NOW we FEAST!

                2. Cantona's Kung Fu Kick
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 8 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  until?

                3. OLD Rafiki
                  • 3 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  What time?

                4. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
                  • 13 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  no further information plus it's stan collymore only saying this at the moment

              7. BullDogTevez
                • 14 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Postponed.

                1. Egg noodle
                  • 14 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Nooooo

                2. Lord.
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 9 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Nothing on Sky yet

              8. Ginkapo FPL
                • 12 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Well played Scousers. Quite the pantomime created just so Salah can eat before kick off

                1. Nightcrawler
                  • 4 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Salah feasting right baiut now

              9. Hy liverpool
                • 10 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                I hate sky sports

              10. Muchentuchel
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 5 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                If they really postpone the game, the points should officially go to LFC according to the rules, shouldn't they?

                1. AC/DC AFC
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 8 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  No.

                2. Drop Dead Tsimikas
                  • 12 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  If they _cancel_ it, probably, yes.

                  1. AC/DC AFC
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 8 Years
                    2 years, 11 months ago

                    Nah.

                    No chance.

                    If so. Nevermind VAR, football's gone soft in the head.

                3. AC/DC AFC
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 8 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Otherwise away fans would do it whenever relegation threatened etc

                  Think about it.

                4. Holmes
                  • 10 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  It's not getting cancelled though, just postponed

                  1. AC/DC AFC
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 8 Years
                    2 years, 11 months ago

                    Good point.

                    Played on Monday or Tuesday? When is the Europa league game?

                5. OLD Rafiki
                  • 3 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Even so no points to the players just points for the team.

                  1. AC/DC AFC
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 8 Years
                    2 years, 11 months ago

                    It's bigger than dropped FPL points I'd say.

                    Except if you're top few perhaps?

                6. Muchentuchel
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 5 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  I think an away game that a team travels to (no matter how far that may be) is scored for that team if the home team decides not to host the game.
                  The circumstances don't really matter unless it's an act of God. The match was more or less voluntarily cancelled, it could have been organised if they wanted to.

              11. AC/DC AFC
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 8 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Wow.

                Dangerous precedent.

                Postponing the game.

                Ridiculous.

                If true.

                1. Egg noodle
                  • 14 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  It's must have been because of covid though. Covid rules are expected to go away.

                2. Hazz
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 6 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Says someone sitting at home typing away, rather than being at the scene where there are obvious risks to safety...

              12. Pukki Blinders
                • 4 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Game postponed. Season over.

                See you all next season

                1. Holmes
                  • 10 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Will probably be included in same GW

                2. Elfozzie 42
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 13 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  To be fair, as pointed out to me, it could be postponed till tomorrow.

              13. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
                • 13 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Premier League executives, club and match officials all understand the game is now postponed. Still waiting on updates regarding reschedule time and date.

                https://twitter.com/StanCollymore/status/1388893628781694985

                1. Cantona's Kung Fu Kick
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 8 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  I had 5 United/Pool players playing, disaster of a GW

              14. Nightcrawler
                • 4 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                How do fans just break into a stadium?

                Do they not have security guards or locks anyway?

              15. Hy liverpool
                • 10 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                BREAKING

                Premier League executives, club officials, match officials all understand the game is postponed.

                Waiting on anything regarding reschedule time and date.

                ViA Stan collymore.

                Sorry, but Who is stan collymore?

                1. SHOWSTOPPERRR
                  • 6 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Manchester evening reporting 7.30pm ko..

                2. Now I'm Panicking
                  • 9 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  The guy who once beat up Ulrika Jonsson

              16. SHOWSTOPPERRR
                • 6 Years
                2 years, 11 months ago

                Manchester evening reporting that possible 7.30pm ko

                1. OLD Rafiki
                  • 3 Years
                  2 years, 11 months ago

                  Are you serious??