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. Going Home
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Plastics all over this comments section. If you’re England based and a football (not FPL) fan, you should be on the same page as these United fans.

    Coventry city fan with no vested interest in the PL

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

      Your name thou!

    2. @persecuted_by_mods
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Agreed, I dislike utd and most big teams but bad owners are bad owners

      • Nightcrawler
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        If coventry were 2nd in the pl and i the europa final...protest would be the last thing u wd do

        1. Going Home
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          I’ve sacked off two Wembley days out in three years because of crap owners. So no, I wouldn’t

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

          Noway bad is bad even if you're 2nd or last

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

        If any fans know about the destructive nature of hedge-fund style asset stripping ownership it’s Coventry fans. Sisu make the Glazers look positively benevolent.

        1. Going Home
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          I’m on board. Football for the fans, not for profit. Owners who think otherwise will be the Seth of the sport

      • Holmes
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        FPL fan from heart. Don't call us plastics 😉

      • Salan
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Dangerous comment you post here.

        1. Going Home
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          The upvotes suggest otherwise

      • Ozzy smith
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Correct.

      • Do I Not Like Orange
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Half of them looked like 17-year old chavs who'll be out on their BMXs terrorising grannies tonight. Not really seeing them as brave crusaders for the soul of English football.

        1. Going Home
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          The point is the point. Doesn’t matter who is making it

    3. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      No official announcement of any postponement. All routes are clear for the coaches to leave.

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

      No mention from Sky yet live at the ground.
      Players will need feeding if this is delayed much longer.

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

        Latest is 7.30pm ko.. No postponements reporting here.

    5. Scots Gooner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      The Salah hattrick will be worth the wait

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

        🙂 I hope you're right. That would seal my ml

    6. Louis Van Gaalstones
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Genuinely shocked by the lack of support for the protests on here.

      1. Ozzy smith
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Plastics.

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

        Same here. Most of these dolts are worried about their little hauls in the fantasy game rather than the big picture.

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

      Sky game is off

      1. Magic Zico
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Bloody hell which news is the right one?

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

          😀

    8. Tango74
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Game is off

      Skysportsnews

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

      GAME OFF

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

      game postponed, interesting where this goes now

      1. SH1M1
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Has to be tomorrow, there’s no other day

        1. G-Whizz
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 6 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          This...

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

          They can play it in utd’s blank GW36 by pulling Pool West Brom into midweek

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

          Protesters can come tomorrow too so it has to be in 36

    11. Digital-Real
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      The game is off
      Boom!

    12. Chilli Heatwave
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Game off confirmed

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

      Yikes. Game postponed

    14. Gazwaz80
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Games off...

    15. DycheDycheBaby
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      10 points off my bench . Woop woop

      1. Mike2795647
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Unless played tomorrow

      2. DA Minnion (Former great)
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Not if it's played tomorrow.

        1. DycheDycheBaby
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Nah can't see it happening lol

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

            For 10pts? Cant believe this...

    16. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      ABSOLUTE JOKE

      1. DycheDycheBaby
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        It's a yoke

    17. G-Whizz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Game has now been officially called off...

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

      yeaaaaaaaahhhhhhh

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

      Brilliant news. And now we feast!

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Feast on what?

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

        It is not good news from any perspective irrespective of how many players you have in fpl

    20. G00LI0
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Ffs I have 5 players in that game. Better be on tomorrow

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

      Well, that was one way to get Watkins off my bench... /s

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

      Olly Burke hattrick coming up vs Spurs

      This is the way

    23. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      A very dangerous precedent has been set by the postponement. More fans could do the same.

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

        Oh no. Now fans can stand up against terrible owners even more. Simply awful.

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

      Has the game been called off? Not seen any messages here saying so.

      1. DA Minnion (Former great)
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Think so.

      2. Tango74
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Yes it has Hazz offically

        I have 5 blanks lol

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

          I was making a joke lol. Everyone posting the same thing.

          I have six + Holding so no worries.

          Could still be this GW mind.

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

        BBC saying postponed .... hopefully playing tomorrow but god knows ...

    25. Shultan
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      The protesters will do this again

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

      Max 8 players this week then.

    27. TheBiffas
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Salah, Bruno, TAA and Greenwood 🙂

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

        Tomorrow will be your day

      2. TheBiffas
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Plus no-shows from Leno, Forster, Rudiger and holding, 5 playing players this week

    28. The Train Driver
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      What the hell is going on, so much contradicting announcements here...

      1. Twisted Saltergater
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        game postponed

    29. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Ffs what a joke.

      Wonder what this means for FPL then - if the game will remain in this GW but a different day, or if I’ll now be down to 8 playing

      1. Nimby
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        I expect it will be played tomorrow.

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

      Yay , thank you clowns