Man Utd fans' plan to stand up to Glazers during Arsenal clash with club 'slowly dying'

Manchester United fans have been encouraged by a supporters’ group to wear black during this weekend’s anti-Glazer protest, symbolizing what they describe as the club “slowly dying.”

The protest will take place ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash against Arsenal, with fans set to march to Old Trafford from the Tollgate pub at 3:15 PM.

The 1958 fan group hopes this demonstration will be “one of the largest-ever protests” against the Glazer family’s ownership, which has faced sustained opposition since their leveraged takeover in 2005.

In a statement, the group called for an end to the Glazers' control and urged supporters to wear black as a sign of the club’s decline, citing mounting debt, mismanagement, and exploitation of the fanbase.

Steve Crompton, a spokesperson for The 1958, voiced his frustration: “The club is slowly dying before our eyes, both on and off the pitch, and the blame lies squarely with the current ownership model.

"The financial situation is dire—debt leads to ruin. Sir Matt Busby would be turning in his grave at the state of one of the world’s greatest football institutions, which is now being brought to its knees and, in many ways, becoming a laughing stock.”

A separate demonstration, organized by the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust, took place at Sunday’s FA Cup fifth-round match against Fulham. Partnering with the Fulham Supporters’ Trust, they protested against rising ticket prices outside Old Trafford before unveiling banners inside the stadium as the teams took to the pitch.

United’s woes continued on the field, as they suffered a penalty shootout defeat to Fulham, further compounding an already dismal season that sees them languishing in 14th place in the Premier League.

Their Europa League last-16 tie against Real Sociedad on Thursday now represents their last hope of silverware and their only realistic route to European qualification.

The financial outlook is equally bleak. While Champions League qualification had long been factored into their financial planning, the PA news agency reports that next season’s modeling now includes the possibility of missing out on European football entirely.

United have recorded losses exceeding £300 million over the past three seasons and recently announced 200 additional job cuts, following the loss of 250 positions last summer.

When approached for comment, the club declined but referred to recent remarks from chief executive Omar Berrada, who stated: “We have a responsibility to put Manchester United in the strongest position to win across our men’s, women’s, and academy teams. We are initiating a wide-ranging series of measures that will transform and renew the club.”