Manchester United are not expected to follow Liverpool’s widely-condemned decision , report agencies. The Old Trafford club have been proactive in trying to ease the financial worries of supporters and staff since the outbreak and it is believed they will not seek the aid of the government’s job retention scheme like other Premier League clubs.
Tottenham and Newcastle have also placed staff on furlough but it is Liverpool who have garnered most criticism for taking advantage of the bailout. The Premier League champions-elect are one of the richest clubs in the world and announced a pre-tax profit of £42 million in February.
Even their own fans and former players have hit out at them, with Jamie Carragher saying “respect and goodwill is lost,” while Stan Collymore has claimed supporters will be “disgusted” Executive vice chairman Ed Woodward and United’s owners, the Glazers, continue to come in for fierce criticism from supporters over the club’s decline since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.
Woodward’s own home was targeted by protesters armed with flares in January, but their handling of the Covid-19 outbreak has been widely commended. They were quick to reimburse fans in the region of £245,000 when their Europa League tie with LASK was ordered to be played behind closed doors at a late stage last month.
