Leeds United fans sang about Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho ‘letting the country down’ ahead of their team’s clash with Manchester United.
Fans have returned to the Premier League for the first full stadiums in England’s top tier since March 2020, with Brentford’s win over Arsenal on Friday the first such occasion.
It has led to touching moments, such as the Brentford fan with tears streaming down his face at full time, and the Bees’ supporters giving Bukayo Saka a standing ovation following the racist abuse he received following his penalty miss in the Euro 2020 final.
Saka’s fellow England forward’s Rashford and Sancho also missed in the shoot-out, that denied the Three Lions a trophy in their first men’s final in 55 years.
Ahead of kick off on Saturday, Leeds fans at Old Trafford gathered to sing that the two Manchester United forwards had ‘let the country down’ with their misses.
🚨⚽️ | NEW: Leeds United fans chanting ‘Sancho and Rashford, you’ve let the country down’ before their match against Man United pic.twitter.com/Nc8eha1bJB
— Football For All (@FootballlForAll) August 14, 2021
Earlier in the day, groups of both fans had clashed in the middle of Manchester city centre as violence broke out ahead of their first meeting in the league with fans allowed in the ground for 17 years.
Inside the ground it was the home team fans who had the earliest opportunities to make noise in support of their club, even before kick off.
Ahead of the match, Raphael Varane was paraded onto the ground at Old Trafford, just minutes after he was officially announced as the club’s latest signing.
Confirmed with a selfie 🤳#MUFC pic.twitter.com/C4cIxYvXNA
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 14, 2021
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team gave their fans even more reason to cheer during the first half, and as is often the case these days, it was down to Bruno Fernandes.
First it looked like the Portugal midfielder had slipped in Paul Pogba to give their side the early lead, but the France midfielder somehow managed to shoot wide.
Fernandes then nearly set up Mason Greenwood with a brilliant cross, that the forward just couldn’t get on the end of, around the half hour mark.
However just seconds later the former Sporting man did make it 1-0. A Leeds United goal kick was soon won back and Pogba found his teammate in the box, who took one touch and shot home.
🔊 BRUNO! ⚽️
It just had to be him…
What a ball from Paul Pogba to set up Fernandes for the opening goal! 👌 pic.twitter.com/y8lE224hCB
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) August 14, 2021
The home fans were understandably delighted!
Featured Image Credit: PA/Twitter