Fan arrested over tragedy chanting

AN arrest has been made after Manchester United’s FA Cup victory over Liverpool was marred by tragedy chanting. Greater Manchester Police confirmed they had held an individual following allegations made at Old Trafford during yesterday’s quarter-final.

At various points United fans were heard singing ‘always the victims, it’s never your fault’, and ‘murderers’. Those chants relate to the Hillsborough and Heysel tragedies. The FA were quick to condemn those involved, while police later confirmed action had been taken. A spokesperson for the force said: ‘GMP can confirm that an arrest has been made in connection with tragedy chanting at the Manchester United v Liverpool fixture. ‘Incidents of tragedy chanting will not be tolerated and will be dealt with robustly.

‘We are all familiar with fans taunting their opponents at football matches, but this is generally done in good humour and without offence.

‘The incidents today crossed the line of what is acceptable, and we will work closely with both clubs to identify anyone responsible for committing offences during the event.’ United are understood to have worked with both Liverpool and the police. Ahead of last season’s match between the two rivals at Anfield, managers Erik ten Hag and Jurgen Klopp called for an end to chanting around the tragedies of Hillsborough, Heysel and Munich. Three United supporters were arrested last month following chants relating to Hillsborough when the two played in Liverpool in December.

Amid a noisy Old Trafford, a flare thrown from the away section after Mohamed Salah put the visitors in front landed in a wheelchair section below housing disabled United supporters. An FA spokesperson said: ‘We strongly condemn any offensive, abusive and discriminatory chants in football stadiums, and we are determined to stamp this behaviour out.

‘It is entirely unacceptable and can have a lasting and damaging impact on people and communities within our game. It must stop.’