[Saba Sports News] The Premier League Round 35 featured the iconic Red Derby, with Manchester United beating Liverpool 3-2 at home. According to British media reports, a small group of Manchester United fans were filmed singing chants mocking the late Diogo Jota ahead of the match. Reports stated that as fans entered Old Trafford before the game, around five men chanted the offensive lyrics “Jota’s gone, goodbye”. Other Manchester United fans immediately distanced themselves from those individuals in the footage and urged the club to ban them from entering the stadium. This marked the first meeting between the two sides at Old Trafford since the tragic car crash last summer that claimed the lives of Diogo Jota and his brother André in northern Spain. Former Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, club captain Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot previously paid their respects by laying wreaths at Anfield. It is understood that a proposal was put forward to the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST), calling on fans to take part in a minute’s applause as a tribute. However, representatives from MUST later denied that the organisation had received any such approach.
The editor believes that the vast majority of Manchester United fans have shown respect for Diogo Jota’s passing. When the match reached the 20th minute, Liverpool fans sang in tribute to Jota, and most Manchester United fans also applauded in unison as a mark of respect.