- Liverpool defeated Manchester United 3-1 on aggregate in the Europa League after a 1-1 draw on Thursday night
- Trouble flared between rival supporters after the full-time whistle with Liverpool fans celebrating in the home end
- Group of visiting fans sat in East Stand began celebrating and unfurled a flag to spark the post-match violence
- Police and stewards had to step in after home fans reacted angrily and plastic seats were broken off and thrown
- Five people were arrested during and after the game, four Liverpool supporters and one United fan
- Earlier in the day a banner referencing the Hillsborough disaster reading 'Murderers' was displayed on the M602
- UEFA have charged both clubs for crowd disturbances and numerous other disciplinary issues
Manchester United and Liverpool
have been charged by UEFA over crowd trouble that flared at Old
Trafford on a night which saw five arrests during and after their Europa
League last-16 clash.
Fights
broke out towards the end of Liverpool's 3-1 aggregate victory when a
group of visiting fans sitting in a section of the East Stand occupied
by United supporters began celebrating and unfurled a Liverpool flag.
That
sparked ugly scenes as a number of United fans threw punches at their
rivals at the very bottom of the second tier. Stewards tried to
intervene but the scrap continued for around five minutes, with two
Liverpool supporters later arrested on suspicion of affray. They remain
in custody.
UEFA
are now set to act, with United facing three disciplinary charges,
while Liverpool face five, in a case that will be dealt with by the
European football governing body's control, ethics and disciplinary
panel on May 19.
Manchester United's Europa League
clash against Liverpool at Old Trafford ended in crowd trouble after a
Liverpool flag was unfurled
Liverpool supporters were seen waving
the flag from the upper tier in the home section at the conclusion of
their aggregate victory
Fans came to blows when a group of
visiting supporters sitting in a section of the East Stand, occupied by
United fans, celebrated
Stewards and police struggled to keep
the supporters apart in the second tier of the East Stand with the
banner infuriating United fans
Punches were thrown between supporters
as tempers flared at the conclusion of Liverpool's Europa League
victory on Thursday night
A steward pushes a United fan away from the Liverpool supporters in the home end as others watch the scenes below them
Police and stewards had to step in after the home crowd reacted angrily and five arrests were made during and after the game
The clash among supporters lasted for
five minutes as stewards and police struggled to control the trouble as
other fans watched on
United
have been charged with having stairways blocked and throwing of
objects. The charges against Liverpool include illicit chants, setting
off of fireworks, throwing of objects and late kick-off.
Both clubs have been charged over crowd disturbances.
One
visiting fan is also still being questioned after a minibus window was
also smashed, while another was given a caution for releasing a flare. A
Manchester United supporter is still in custody on suspicion of being
drunk and disorderly.
Chants
of 'Munich', relating to the Munich air disaster of 1958 which claimed
the lives of eight United players, can be heard in videos posted from
the Liverpool end by Twitter user @Robish13.
Greater
Manchester Police Superintendent Jim Liggett said: ‘Towards the end of
the game there were a handful of concerning incidents which are
currently being investigated.
‘We
have made a total of five arrests however the behaviour of the majority
of fans in attendance was excellent and I would like to thank them for
their co-operation throughout.’
Old
Trafford seats were pictured as having been ripped up and thrown onto
the pitch as well, reportedly by Liverpool fans in direct response to
the fighting on full-time. Fans had been banned from drinking in the
city centre streets, as well as those in Trafford, on St Patrick’s Day.
Post-match,
clashing supporters were escorted by police officers to their coaches
following the trouble that clouded the conclusion of the game.
A
GMP spokesman added: 'Just prior to the full-time whistle of the
Manchester United versus Liverpool match, police were made aware of a
physical altercation between supporters from both sides in a small
section of the crowd.
'Police and stewards broke up the altercation and inquiries are continuing with those involved.'
A plastic red seat was ripped out and thrown, landing on the pitch behind the goal that United stopper David de Gea had vacated
Supporters watch on as the red seat
was thrown into the air during the bad-tempered scenes following the 1-1
draw at Old Trafford
A seat flies through the air between
the set of rival fans as stewards and police tried to separate the
rowing rivals at Old Trafford
Five
people were arrested during and after the game - four Liverpool fans and
one United supporter. On Friday morning, the GMP spokesman added: 'The
United fan was arrested for being drunk and disorderly. He remains in
police custody for questioning. He was arrested outside the ground.
'Of
the four Liverpool fans, two men were arrested for public order offence
of affray outside the ground and they are still in police custody. One
man was arrested for criminal damages for smashing the windows of a
minibus and is still in police custody.
'The fourth man was arrested for letting off a flare inside the ground. He was cautioned and released.'
A red flare was brandished above the
away end at Old Trafford as Liverpool supporters celebrated during their
famous aggregate victory
UEFA could take action after the flare
was lit at Old Trafford following Philippe Coutinho's strike that
sealed the aggregate victory
The Liverpool banner continued to be draped down in front of the joyous away following as fans row inside the ground on Thursday
Stewards and police intervened in an
attempt to stop the trouble but no arrests were made in the immediate
aftermath of the incident
Old Trafford stewards had to step in to pull fans apart after the Liverpool supporters in the home end made their presence known
The
Liverpool fans were in a jubilant mood from the moment Philippe
Coutinho equalised in the night just before half-time, giving Jurgen
Klopp's team a 3-1 aggregate lead they never looked like relinquishing
in the first ever European tie between the two clubs.
The
bad blood between both sets of supporters was further incited when a
banner with the word 'murderers' written across it was draped over a
bridge on the M602 ahead of Thursday night's match.
The motorway was used by many travelling Liverpool fans heading to Old Trafford for the tie's second leg.
A
GMP spokesman said: 'At 5.15pm the police were made aware that there
was a banner hanging over the bridge. It was located and taken down.'
Police are continuing to investigate the suspected public order offence but no-one has been arrested, he added.
Phillipe Coutinho points to the skies and is joined by his team-mates after levelling the score for Liverpool
Bastian Schweinsteiger shows his dejection at the full-time whistle as Manchester United were dumped out
Fans towards the front of the away section celebrated wildly following their victory as a red smoke bomb went off in the stands
'MURDERERS' BANNER WAS UNFURLED ON M602 MOTORWAY BRIDGE BEFORE THE GAME
Ahead of the Europa League clash, a banner with the word 'murderers' written across it was draped over a bridge on the M602.
The
controversial message was displayed on the motorway which was used by
many travelling Liverpool supporters en route to Old Trafford for the
tie's second leg.
The
banner also featured the date of the tragic Hillsborough disaster, a
human crush incident which caused the death of 96 people and injured 766
others in the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest
in Sheffield on April 15, 1989.
A
GMP spokesman said: 'At 5.15pm the police were made aware that there
was a banner hanging over the bridge. It was located and taken down.'
Police are continuing to investigate the suspected public order offence but no-one has been arrested, he added.
Fans driving from Liverpool to
Manchester ahead of the game were greeted by a banner bearing the
controversial message 'Murderers'
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