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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Connor O'Neill

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer breaks silence on Manchester United protests before Liverpool game

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has spoken for the first time since protests caused his side’s clash with Liverpool to be postponed.

Thousands of United supporters descended on the stadium to protest against the Glazers' ownership, with some gaining entry into the stadium.

The protest officially got underway at 2pm but it didn't take long for events to take a dramatic twist as hundreds of fans broke into the stadium and stormed the Old Trafford pitch.

As a result of the scenes, Liverpool were unable to leave their hotel in central Manchester and the Premier League was forced to delay the kick-off.

The game was eventually officially postponed with United confirming in a statement that it will be rescheduled for a later date.

And Solskjaer believes some United supporters crossed the line during Sunday's protests and admitted that the postponement sent his players out of sync.

"It was a difficult day for us," he told the Manchester Evening News before his side’s Europa League clash with AS Roma.

"We wanted to play, we wanted to beat Liverpool for the fans even, because our job has to be on getting good performances, good results on the pitch, that's the players' focus, that's my focus

"As I said before the game, we have to listen, we have to hear the fans' voice, it's everyone's right to protest, it has to be in a civilised, peaceful manner, though.

"Unfortunately, when you break in, when police officers get injured, that's too far, that's one step too far. When it gets out of hand like this it's a police matter, it's not about showing opinions any more.

"Of course, it's my job, my focus has to be on the results but you don't really need to be a rocket scientist to see we have challenges and frictions, that have to be dealt with with the communication.

"Other individuals than me, of course, have started already, discussing with fans, communicating with fan groups, which is going to be massive for us going forward.

“The players have done terrific be where they are, I would be sad if all the good work the players have done is disrupted. Our focus is on playing well and getting to a final now.

"We want to listen, it has to be in a peaceful manner, it's important, voice your opinions. We know, as I said, as a club, we need to communicate better.

“I refer back to the apologies, they've all accepted it came out wrong, it was the wrong thing to do, which is a start, let's continue on that.

"Our fans want a team that is likeable, playing attacking football, scoring goals, winning trophies, being humble, work hard towards better results, so they can identify with them. We want to be a Man United team. For fans, results are important, my responsibility is results.

"We want to get back to winning trophies, we haven't won for a while, it's something we're working on, that's my responsibility, and I'm sure the fans can see that's what we're doing.

"I have to have laser focus on football but also understand there are views and challenges ahead, but my focus has to be on what's going to happen in the next three weeks on the pitch and then let's see.

"As I said, the right to protest peacefully, everyone's got a human right to be heard and a voice to be heard, but it has to be peaceful.

“When you step out of line, break onto the pitch, break into dressing rooms, it's one step too far, that's not nice. It's not been helped by certain individuals, but that's another part of it, that's your end of it."

Before the United boss concluded: “It’s changed the whole cycle, yeah. Because we had a game, we prepared for Sunday again.

“Sunday would have been a perfect day to test them again physically. But it was a day off, it was more of a mental challenge. Then, Monday was a harder day in training.

“So it changes the whole plan, but you’ve got to be adaptable. In the world that we’re in now, you can’t just get the fixture list in August and think it’s not going to change.”

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