Liverpool and Manchester United renew their bitter rivalry tonight when the two clash at Old Trafford - but the 90 minutes of football could once again be overshadowed by matters off the pitch.
Neither side have enjoyed the opening fortnight of the new season, with two points between them and no wins. The Reds’ slow start has seen them draw against Fulham and Crystal Palace amid a host of injuries and Darwin Nunez’ red card last Monday, while Erik Ten Hag’s Red Devils lost against Brighton before a 4-0 humiliation at Brentford.
Those defeats and other events have reignited anger within the Manchester United fanbase, with the club’s worst start in Premier League history the latest in a litany of low points since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure as manager in 2013. And fans have organised a mass protest before tonight’s clash, with action also planned during the game. Here is everything you need to know about the protests and why they are happening.
READ MORE: Manchester United supporters protest LIVE - Fans gather at Old Trafford before Liverpool match
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Why are Manchester United fans protesting?
The main point of frustration around Old Trafford is centred around the Glazers - the family who own Manchester United.
Many of the club’s fans blame the Glazers for the deterioration of the club on and off the pitch, with a stadium in Old Trafford that hasn’t been worked on in 20 years, an outdated training centre, plus years of poor recruitment of players and staff.
The American family have been in full control of the club since taking over in 2005 via a leveraged buyout, which essentially involved them taking out huge loans to buy the club and then moving that debt onto the club itself. Interest on those loans - £743million - plus the £133million the family paid themselves in dividends in the last 10 years and other payments has the total money taken out of the club by the family at around £1.1billion.
Fans have become equally disillusioned at matters on the pitch, with the once dominant club without a Premier League title since 2013 - Sir Alex Ferguson’s last season - and without any silverware since 2017 despite spending over £1billion on transfers since 2012, according to a study published by Switzerland-based independent research group CIES Football Observatory.
Further anger was directed at the Manchester United owners following the 2021 attempts to join the European Super League alongside Liverpool - a move that ended disastrously and encouraged country-wide protests, including at a breach at Old Trafford forcing this fixture two seasons ago to be postponed.
What is planned?
Manchester United supporters’ group ‘The 1958’ has put together a plan to march to Old Trafford before kick-off and protest outside the ground. They said: "For the love. For the passion. For each other. For past generations. For the next generation. For our United. Today we make it count. Tollgate 7pm we march."
The group added: "Tonight, we make a statement. If you are entering the ground we need to unite! Stretford Upper & Stretford Lower. J stand & K. North stand & South. Get involved and let’s hear all sides of OT support in unison. Be loud, be United in one voice".
There have also been some suggestions online that a walkout could be part of a separate protest, but it remains to be seen if fans will leave their seats during the game.
What have 'The 1958' said?
The fans group have been especially vocal over the last week as they lead the protests,
A recent statement said: "We have our voices and we will not be silenced by attempts from our owners and the club to quash the feelings and passion of the common fan. They are in the wrong, they are ruining the history, traditions and culture of our great club and the 58 will not standby and watch our club rot away any longer.
“The 1958 will always consider what’s in the best interest of our fanbase and club. Nothing else matters other than restoring right and proper ownership. To focus purely on football success and upholding the standards and traditions of our great club. We will never conform to the Glazers nor have our backsides tickled by them.
"Unite with us and stand with us on Monday to demonstrate this is not acceptable any longer. We expect massive numbers to turnout. Help us to save our club before we don’t have a club to save.
“Our future is our only motivation. Nothing else matters.”
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