Five stewards employed by a private security firm have been charged with assault following an incident involving a Manchester United supporter at Old Trafford last year. The charges relate to an alleged attack on a 49-year-old fan during a sit-in protest in the East Stand after the Manchester derby between Manchester United and Manchester City, which ended in a 0-0 draw in April 2025.
The individuals charged are Mohammed Jamil Akbar, 22, Yaseen Islam, 24, and Mohammed Uzair Iqbal, 24, all from Oldham; Favour Stevenson, 28, from Rochdale; and Usman Hussain, 36, from Manchester. They face accusations of causing actual bodily harm and are scheduled to appear at Manchester magistrates’ court on January 7. None of the men were directly employed by Manchester United but worked for Controlled Solutions Group (CSG), the security provider contracted by the club on match days. Both Manchester United and CSG declined to comment on the case.
The protest during which the incident occurred was organised by supporters opposing Manchester United’s decision to increase season-ticket prices and remove concessions for children and pensioners. This followed ongoing discontent with the club’s ticketing policies, which have drawn criticism over measures intended to combat ticket touting. In recent weeks, thousands of fans reportedly received emails warning of account suspensions and potential revocation of their season tickets due to alleged suspicious activity, subject to issuing a satisfactory explanation.
Supporters’ groups expressed concern over the club’s approach, issuing a joint statement accusing Manchester United of treating genuine fans as suspects and adopting a "ban first, ask questions later" policy. These issues were set to be discussed at a Fans’ Forum held at Old Trafford on the evening of July 30, where representatives from the club and fan organisations were expected to address the situation.
Separately, Marcus Rashford has announced his return to Manchester United after a successful loan spell with Barcelona last season. Rashford scored 14 goals and provided 14 assists as Barcelona secured the La Liga title, but the Spanish club opted not to exercise an option to buy him for £26 million. Instead, Barcelona signed Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon for £70 million. Rashford shared a farewell message on social media, expressing gratitude to Barcelona and wishing the club well.
Rashford, who remains under contract with Manchester United until June 2028 with a weekly salary of £315,000, is currently on a break after helping England reach the World Cup semi-finals. It is unclear whether he will participate in United’s upcoming training camp in Ireland. Manchester United initially sought £40 million for Rashford, but finding a buyer willing to meet or exceed the loan option price has proven challenging. Although AS Roma has been linked with interest, Rashford reportedly has no intention of joining the Italian side.