Trending

Marcus Rashford speaks out in response to viral ‘abuse’ video after match

"This isn't ego. I'm upset. I'm disappointed. And in that moment it was silly but I was being human."

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 17th March 2022

Marcus Rashford has issued a statement in response to a viral video showing his interaction with fans after a match earlier this week.

The 24-year-old Wythenshawe-born footballer claims that there are “two sides to every story” and that “emotion got the better of me” during the moment when he was filmed after his Manchester United side were beaten 1-0 by Atletico Madrid at Old Trafford on Tuesday in the last 16 of the Champions League.

In the fan-recorded video, which has since gone viral on social media, footage appears to show Rashford walking past fans outside the ground, hearing something shouted at him, and then trying to head towards them before being ushered away by security.

Although what was said during the interaction is somewhat unclear, Rashford seems to make a gesture with his hand to the fans as he walks away.

Many have claimed Rashford stuck his middle finger up at the group of fans.

ADVERTISEMENT

Read more: Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard condemn antisemitism after being pictured with rapper Wiley

The day after the match and following the video of the interaction racking up tens of thousands of views online, many have not only taken to critiquing Rashford for his supposed actions during the clip, but also the level of his performance once he came onto the pitch in the second half, and questioning whether the footballer is in the right place both mentally and physically since returning from injury.

ADVERTISEMENT

Rashford has scored just five times in this season after making his return from shoulder surgery in October, and has started only two of United’s last seven games in all competitions.

Now, he has had his say.

Taking to Twitter to issue a statement on the video, Rashford denied that he had raised his middle finger to the fans lined up outside Old Trafford, and clarified the words that he used during the confrontation.

ADVERTISEMENT

His statement read: “A video can paint a thousand words and in this case lead to inaccurate info being shared on social media.

“Guys for weeks I’ve been heckled, threatened, questioned and last night my emotion got the better of me. I’m a human being. Reading and hearing that stuff about yourself every day it wears you down. No one is more critical of my performance than me. But what you see in this video lacks context. I had been heckled from the minute I stepped foot outside the ground, abuse not just aimed at my football.”

Read more: Manchester United said to be considering demolishing Old Trafford as part of revamp

He added that he believed people were just “looking for a reaction from me,” and admits that he “should have walked straight passed and ignored it”.

“I want to clarify two things,” he continued.

ADVERTISEMENT

“The first being what I actually said to the man throwing abuse at me which was ‘come over here and say it to my face’, a fact security can back up. Secondly, the fact I used my forefinger to direct the fan to ‘come over and say it to my face’. I did not gesture with my middle finger.

“I’m not entitled. This isn’t ego. I’m upset. I’m disappointed. And in that moment it was silly but I was being human.”

Featured Image – Instagram (@manchesterunited)

Trending

Met Office launches nationwide search for new storm names and wants YOU to pick

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Thunderstorm sky

Is your grandma a force of nature? Does your best friend cause an impact wherever they go? Now you can give them the recognition they deserve…

By naming a storm after them, of course.

We know all the talk is about heatwaves at the moment, especially after weather forecasters have recently predicted that the UK is in for a ‘hotter than average’ summer this year, but let’s turn our eye to the upcoming storm season for a second, shall we?

That’s right – the Met Office is inviting the public to submit their suggestions for storm names for the upcoming 2025/26 season.

Now in its eleventh year, the Met Office works with Met Éireann in Ireland and KNMI in the Netherlands to compile the list every time the season rolls around, and this headline-grabbing naming initiative helps the media and the public communicate about the impacts of severe weather events more easily and effectively.

As part of the naming process, each of the three meteorological organisations will get to name storms using selected letters, with the aim being to reflect the diversity of the three countries, and in-keeping with usual storm naming conventions, names will be picked for every letter of the alphabet except for Q, U, X, Y and Z.

According to the Met Office, a number of factors are considered for a name to be on the list – including how difficult it might be to pronounce, if the name has different meanings in different countries, and if it could be considered controversial in some way.

Once the list of names is decided upon, it will be formally announced by the Met Office in September when storm season begins.

Man walking in rain
The Met Office has launched a nationwide search for new storm names and wants you to pick / Credit: Wikimedia Commons

“The storm naming system has helped us communicate weather to help people stay safe,” commented Will Lang, who is the Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, “and wow we need the UK public to help us compile a new list.

“Whether you want to honour a weather-lover in your family, remember a family pet, or get a friend’s name in the headlines, we welcome submissions from the public to help us pull together next year’s list of storm names.”

People can only submit their names online via the submissions page here, where there’s also the option of adding a reason for the suggestion, and must not be submitted via social media as they will not be counted.

Read more:

You have until 3 July 2025 to make your submissions, and the new list will be revealed in early September.

Featured Image – Johannes Plenio (via Unsplash)

Trending

First Look: Fitzpatrick’s – Stockport’s new Irish Bar gets off to a stunning start

Danny Jones Danny Jones Fitzpatrick's new Irish bar and grill opening Stockport

Stockport has a brand new Irish bar as the growing Greater Manchester trend continues, with Fitzpatrick’s officially debuting to the public on Thursday, 19 June.

Taking over the former Bask site just outside the train station, Fitzpatrick’s is the borough’s answer to American sports bar meets an Irish pub and grill, with live music, a wide array of food and more.

Founded by the man who now shares his name with the already lively boozer, John Fitzpatrick – a.k.a. local producer, musician and DJ, Jon Fitz – the venue has big shoes to fill following its predecessor, but is already off to a very strong start.

We had the privilege of walking in on opening day, and the place was absolutely packed to the rafters from the off, and we didn’t even stay until the end. More fool us…

As you can see, it hasn’t taken them any time at all to get an atmosphere going; good weather on their inaugural day, but the free-flowing beer, classic pub food flying out of the kitchen, and musicians reeling off classic Irish folk music did most of the heavy lifting.

Plus, that beer garden and covered outdoor terrace area are pretty perfect in any weather, to be fair.

The scran on their maiden evening mainly consisted of pizza, chips and other easy-to-serve-up plates as they gradually ease into the first week or so of service, but with a full menu of burgers, pies, breakfasts and even Sunday roasts to come, we’re very excited to try the full gamut.

Regardless, the staff were pulling pints like pros, John himself had plenty of involvement greeting people and getting behind the bar, and the atmosphere was buzzing from minute one.

ln fact, that was arguably the best part about it all: there was that genuine feeling of a new community cornerstone being born, with the well-known Stopfordian reeling off names and recognising what seemed like almost every face that walked through the door.

You don’t get that everywhere.

A lay of the land at Fitzpatrick’s Stockport. (Credit: The Manc Eats)

Although this was their first proper day of trading, they had already gauged the kind of crowds they could expect by soft launching with friends and family last week.

That being said, as mentioned, there was a real tight-knit, community feel to the place, full of County kits, young families and older couples alike, all of whom seemed to be dovetailing together as if the pub had always been around.

SK is often dubbed one of those places where everyone kind of knows everyone, even despite how big the town is as a whole, and this definitely felt like proof of that perception.

There was even close-up magic from Stockport’s famous ‘Fingerless Magician’, Dean Lahan, who famously featured on Britain’s Got Talent and even featured for Team GB’s Para Ice Hockey squad.

Of course, there is some familiarity with the space having previously been Bask, but the location of the stage, a newly decked out bar and the large jumbo-tron style TV set-up for live sport in the centre of the room (providing prime viewing from virtually all angles) have made a big difference.

Based solely on the hordes of people that piled into the place the second the doors opened, we can’t wait to see what the gaff is like once it’s in so-called ‘full swing’. John and his team might just be on to something big here.

Speaking to The Manc, he said: “As a local lad, I wanted to put something into the space that reflects a lot of my history and culture. Music, food, sport and a great atmosphere are all things I love, so I wanted to reflect that in this gorgeous space.”

Open 4-11 from Tuesday to Thursday, 2pm until late on Fridays, and the same only from 1pm at weekends, we can imagine Stockport punters are about to be spending a lot of time in Fitzpatrick’s.

(Credit: The Manc Group)

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images – The Manc Group

More Trending

Jay Slater's mum has issued an update through a GoFundMe. Credit: GoFundMe

News

Channel 4 to air exclusive new documentary about the disappearance and death of Lancashire teen Jay Slater

Dave Challinor signs new contract at Stockport County

Sport

‘Best signing of the summer’: Stockport County fans react to Dave Challinor’s new contract

Business

Co-op is offering shoppers £10 discounts as a ‘thank you’ following its cyber attack

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches