Manchester United supporters' group The 1958 is organising a demonstration before Sunday's Manchester Derby after claiming fans were unjustly banned as part of a ticket-touting clampdown. Attendees have been urged to assemble outside The Bishop Blaize pub from 3pm for a peaceful demonstration ahead of the 4.30pm kick-off.
Fan group statement
"A line has been crossed," the group posted on social media. "Manchester United are sanctioning and banning loyal, generational Reds without, clear and compelling evidence."
"These owners want rid of lifelong matchgoers. Their strategy is clear to see. It's a cull! We challenged them. We demanded the unproven suspensions stop. They haven't listened. Show the evidence or lift the bans."
Manchester United fans staged a similar protest last season.
Giggs opposes Gabriel loan
Former United winger Ryan Giggs believes JJ Gabriel must remain within the first-team setup throughout this campaign. Gabriel, 15, played a key role in helping Darren Fletcher's Under-18 side reach the FA Youth Cup final last season and is now eligible to feature in Premier League football, though he continues to await his competitive debut following appearances in pre-season.
"Well, I think he is sort of a generational talent, he's got to stay," Giggs said on Rio Ferdinand Presents when asked if Gabriel should be loaned out. "There's no point in going out on loan because he's at the best place and he'd be dipping in and out of the first team, so that experience is invaluable."
"Not only the games and the training, but actually travelling with the team, seeing the expectation of Man United, the focus is so huge on Manchester United, you need to get used to that."
"I think you go on loan when you're 19, 20, not, you know, the next few years, you expect him to, if he's going the same way, to be in the first team soon as a regular, not just dipping in and out. Sometimes you have to be patient, sometimes it gets to a point where you just can't not pick him and not have him train in the first team."
European focus
Manchester United's focus has shifted from the Premier League to Europe as Michael Carrick takes charge of his first Champions League match as the club's permanent head coach. Old Trafford welcomes Azerbaijani side Sabah with the Red Devils keen to make a positive start to the campaign.
They would need to bounce back from the 2-2 setback at Everton on Sunday, courtesy of a last-minute striker from distance by Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Luke Shaw is set to miss the clash, having been absent for training on Wednesday.
