Ole Gunnar Solskjaer addressed a group of Manchester United fans who blocked both entrances at the club’s Carrington training ground.
The fans posed on the first-team training pitch and in front of the main building entrance to express their anger towards the Glazer family. The manager as well as Darren Fletcher, Michael Carrick and Nemanja Matic are understood to have spoken to the fans – but reports also claim Dean Henderson and Eric Bailly were visibly supportive of the protesters.
Those involved were not leaving without speaking to Solskjaer and made that very clear to the staff on site. MEN sources claim the manager told the fans co-chairman Joel Glazer ‘loves’ United before police arrived at the scene.
“I will always listen to the fans and I thought it was the right thing to do,” Solskjaer said, as per Manchester Evening News. “To go and listen to them and speak to them and have a nice peaceful discussion with them. It’s important that we respect each other’s views.
“I said a few things about what about the team will do in the future. It was a good 10 minutes and I was happy with that. We didn’t shake hands, we gave a fist bump and parted.
“Football without fans is nothing. That’s why we have to listen to them. I’m happy that voice of the fans, managers, were heard. We’ve been voicing opinions this week and it’s important. Part of my job is to speak to Man United fans.
“In a strange way this situation has brought football together and fans together. Fans of different clubs understand, and the players, they haven’t been part of this.
“A Man United fan and Leeds United fan have the same opinion on this topic so I don’t think that it’s going to be an issue.”
An anonymous group of United fans have also announced plans to protest next Sunday prior to the visit of Liverpool in the Premier League. With kick-off at 4.30pm, fans are asked to congregate on the forecourt at Old Trafford at 2pm to share the 50+1 message.
Read more: Manchester United fans announce plans for anti-Glazer protests before Liverpool game
