Manchester United football club could face a points deduction after fans protests forced the postponement of their Premier League fixture with Liverpool on Sunday, May 2.
Hundreds of United supporters stormed the pitch at Old Trafford ahead of their game against Liverpool in protest at the club’s American owners, the Glazer family, before clashing with police in ugly scenes.
During the bloody protests against the billionaire owners of the club, a police officer was slashed in the face with a bottle.
Now, both the Premier League and Football Association are investigating following the mass protests around Old Trafford on Sunday. The organisations are speaking with Manchester United and the local authorities to piece together exactly what has happened, and where responsibility lies.
Under Premier League rules, points can be deducted where a club fails to ensure the safety of players and staff, as well as entry and exit from the ground.
The FA can also impose fines, in a long list of potential punishments, which includes ground closures and suspension from competitions. And it can demand the club responsible for any postponement compensates the other side for any costs.
The FA and Premier League have between them plenty of rules that cover the postponement of matches and the safety of players and staff, which will now be examined by the authorities and the club.
In the Premier League Handbook, rule K14 states that the home club must make sure that the players and match officials can enter and leave the stadium safely and that there is a safe environment in which to play the match. And rule K13 also states that the players’ entrance, as well as the parking area and the points of entry, are adequately policed or stewarded.
Representatives from the two teams and the Premier League came together to discuss the situation at Old Trafford at 4 pm yesterday, after which it was determined that for safety reasons the fixture could not go ahead.
Both teams were held back at their hotels by Greater Manchester Police, while match referee Michael Oliver was also delayed in accessing the ground.