Manchester United fans protesting the Glazer family property stormed into their Old Trafford stadium and gathered on the pitch ahead of Sunday’s Premier League game against Liverpool.
British media reported that fans appeared at Old Trafford at 1 p.m. local time (1200 GMT) to protest the owners with banners and torches.
They pulled down the barriers to dig themselves into the ground ahead of one of the biggest home games of the season, which starts at 4:30 p.m. local time.
Some fans even climbed onto the goal posts before being removed from the pitch after about 10 minutes.
As planned, the Premier League issued team sheets an hour before kick-off – even if the players still arrive at the stadium.
The anti-Glaser movement has gained momentum in recent weeks after the club’s failed attempt to join a breakaway European Super League last month.
United owner Joel Glazer, who was named vice chairman of the European Super League at the time of the announcement, apologized in an open letter to fans after they pulled out of the project.
That apology, however, appears to have been denied by the club’s support base, who protested outside Old Trafford last week, following demonstrations at United’s training ground.
The field invasion followed a protest outside the Lowry Hotel, where the United team traditionally spends the night before a home game in preparation for matches.
At the beginning of the weekend, United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had supported fans’ right to protest but urged them to do so peacefully.
“It is important that the fans’ views are heard and that we communicate better,” Solskjaer told reporters. “I have been supported and had great support from the club and the owners and I am sure that I will get the support again to go one step further.”
United was bought by the American Glazer family for £ 790 million ($ 1.1 billion) in 2005. Although it has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since 2012, the Glazers retain a majority stake.
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