Manchester United and Liverpool come together to tackle tragedy chanting
Manchester United and Liverpool have joined forces to launch an initiative aimed at eradicating tragedy chanting.
The exhilarating FA Cup quarter-final between the two most successful clubs in England earlier this month – won 4-3 by United with a late goal in extra time – was marred by incidences of tragedy-related chanting by supporters.
With the two rivals set to meet again in the Premier League at Old Trafford on April 7, the charitable foundations of both clubs have come together to deliver an education programme focused on the impact such conduct can have.
It is aimed at children in the hope that, by learning about the Munich and Hillsborough disasters at a young age, such behaviour will not be absorbed by the next generation and the problem will fade out.
Former Liverpool captain Phil Thompson and ex-United defender Wes Brown were both involved as a session for schoolchildren from both Manchester and Liverpool was held at the Lord Derby Academy in Huyton, Merseyside, on Wednesday.
Brown told the PA news agency: “It’s about the two biggest clubs in England and in world football coming together to a school, to talk about the tragedies that happened at each club and why we don’t need tragedy chanting.
“It’s about getting the kids to understand it. It doesn’t make them look cool, it doesn’t make them top boy or top girl.
“A lot of the times you copy off adults but, in this situation, nothing good comes from it. No-one wants it in football, the two clubs don’t want it, the players don’t want it.
“There are people from both clubs still in pain from the incidents that happened. It’s not something that in any way you can be happy about.”
Thompson is pleased that both clubs, fierce rivals on the field, are working together on this issue.
He said: “This has been going on now for years and it needs to be identified.
“It’s not supporting your football club, tragedy chanting. What good is it? I’d rather have our fans singing Liverpool songs to boost us, to boost our morale, rather than have a go at, say, Manchester United. I’m quite sure United players are exactly the same.
“Why are you dragging us to the depths to be tragedy chanting when we need that support?
“We’ve just had one of the great FA Cup ties. Yes, we came out the wrong end but that anger and that frustration shouldn’t spill over into this. It was a wonderful game of football and we should have rejoiced in it.
“I think we all need to have a good look at ourselves and, when we’re at these games, think that that’s wrong – because it is wrong, massively wrong – and don’t want to have any involvement.”
The two foundations are developing the programme in partnership with the Premier League and plan to make it an annual part of their engagement with tens of thousands of young people across the Greater Manchester and Merseyside regions.
John Shiels, CEO of Manchester United Foundation, said: “It is unacceptable to use the loss of life, in relation to any tragedy, to score points, and it is time for it to stop.
“We are proud to come together with LFC Foundation as we believe education will break the generational cycle on this issue and help thousands of young people across this region understand the impact tragedy-related abuse has.”
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Jude Bellingham names the England youngster set for 'amazing future'
Bellingham praises Man Utd youngster Kobbie Mainoo after impressing in first England start
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By Jack Gallagher
Mar 27, 2024
Bellingham was full of praise of Mainoo
Bellingham was full of praise of Mainoo / Julian Finney/GettyImages
Jude Bellingham praised the performance of Kobbie Mainoo in England's draw with Belgium but insisted he doesn't want to put more pressure on the youngster at such a tender age.
Thanks to his stunning form at club level with Manchester United, 18-year-old Mainoo earned a late call-up to the England senior squad for the March international break. Having made his debut as a substitute in the defeat to Brazil, Mainoo was afforded his first ever Three Lions start in the 2-2 draw with Belgium on Tuesday.
The youngster didn't disappoint, earning a player of the match award for his stunning performance at Wembley Stadium.
Speaking to the press after the game, England and Real Madrid superstar Bellingham discussed his positive first impressions of Mainoo but urged fans not to expect too much from the youngster too soon.
Kobbie Mainoo
Mainoo impressed / Clive Rose/GettyImages
"He was good tonight," he said. "It's difficult, and I am speaking like the old head here, but I know how hard it can be when there's a clamour and people put a lot of pressure on you.
"So I don't want to add fuel to the fire, but he's definitely a brilliant player and he's going to have an amazing future at Manchester United and hopefully for England as well."
Mainoo will be hoping he's done enough to earn a place in Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad ahead this summer's tournament. With question marks over who should partner Bellingham and Declan Rice in midfield, the 18-year-old may have forced his way into contention this March.
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Chelsea Women vs Ajax Vrouwen. Women's Champions League Quarter Final.
8:00pm, Wednesday 27th March 2024.
Stamford Bridge.
1
M Ramírez (33'33rd minute)
1
C Grant (65'65th minute)
4-1
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Match report as Chelsea reach the Champions League semi-finals with a 4-1 aggregate win over Ajax; the Blues led 3-0 from the first leg and made it a four-goal advantage through Mayra Ramirez's opener; Chasity Grant equalised for Ajax after half-time; Brann or Barcelona await the Blues
Sam Blitz
@SamBIitz
Wednesday 27 March 2024 23:49, UK
Chelsea Ajax Verdict
Sky Sports' Sam Blitz and Fadumo Olow reflect on Chelsea's 4-1 aggregate win over Ajax in the Women's Champions League quarter-final and whether the pile-up of fixtures will get in the way of a possible quadruple
Chelsea eased into the Champions League semi-finals despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Ajax at Stamford Bridge - with a possible reunion against Barcelona awaiting them in the next round.
Emma Hayes' Blues held a three-goal lead from the first leg in Amsterdam and a much-changed side made that four before half-time in front of over 11,000 fans in west London - with Mayra Ramirez opening the scoring on her Champions League debut for the club.
Chelsea faced a few first-half scares before Ramirez's opener and were eventually pegged back when Chasity Grant finished below goalkeeper Zecira Musovic. The draw means the Blues are denied the chance to equal their best-ever European run of consecutive wins.
How the teams lined up | Match stats
Women's Champions League fixtures | Results
But, more importantly, they move into the last four of the Champions League, where Brann or Barcelona - who knocked Hayes' Blues out of this competition last season in the semi-finals - await the Women's Super League leaders. The semi-finals are scheduled for the weekends of April 20/21 and April 27/28.
"If you look at our record in the Champions League, even in the last five seasons, it's only once we didn't qualify for the group and reached the latter stages every year," manager Hayes said at full-time.
"We should be at this level, we should be at the semi-finals. We have a little bit more depth now to make six changes and do what we did tonight.
"We haven't won anything, I don't know who the opponent will be. But we're ready."
Also See:
How the teams lined up
Who do Chelsea need to do to win the quadruple?
Women's Champions League fixtures
Women's Champions League results in full
Ramirez scored on her first Champions League start for Chelsea
Image:
Ramirez scored on her first Champions League start for Chelsea
And Chelsea's quest for a quadruple rumbles on - with the chance to win one of the four available trophies on Sunday when they play Arsenal in the Continental Cup final at Molineux.
Chelsea Ajax Verdict
Sky Sports' Sam Blitz and Fadumo Olow reflect on Chelsea's 4-1 aggregate win over Ajax in the Women's Champions League quarter-final and whether the pile-up of fixtures will get in the way of a possible quadruple
How Chelsea got the job done
This was no procession for Chelsea as Ajax started the stronger.
Captain Sherida Spitse headed onto the roof of the net, before Romee Leuchter fired wide from inside the box after muscling Kadeisha Buchanan off the ball. Chelsea then went close at the other end as Erin Cuthbert fired Aggie Beever-Jones' cross wide at the near post - but Ajax kept coming.
Ajax's Tiny Hoekstra, Chelsea's Erin Cuthbert and Ajax's Jonna van de Velde battle for the ball
Image:
Erin Cuthbert was one of seven changes made by Emma Hayes, with the Continental Cup final to come on Sunday
Chelsea goalkeeper Musovic, who had a few poor early touches of the ball, was nearly left red-faced when she clattered a Cuthbert back-pass straight into Tiny Hoekstra and the ball started rolling towards the goal line. Thankfully for the Swede, the ricochet just missed at the near post.
That chance gave Chelsea a wake-up call and Guro Reiten fired wide of the far post from inside the box after good work from Beever-Jones, who was then denied two one-on-one chances by last-ditch challenges from Spitse and Kay-Lee de Sanders.
But Chelsea's opener finally came as Ajax gifted the ball too easily to Reiten, who slipped Ramirez in on goal to finish past Ajax goalkeeper Regina van Eijk.
Chelsea's Mayra Ramirez (right) celebrates scoring the opening goal against Ajax
Image:
Ramirez (right) celebrates with Guro Reiten
The Colombian striker could have made it two as she met Beever-Jones' delicious early cross - but could not get enough contact to tap home from a few yards out.
Did you know?
Mayra Ramirez has now scored and assisted in all four competitions for Chelsea - despite only joining the club 62 days ago.
With potentially one eye on Sunday's final with Arsenal, Chelsea were more relaxed after the break.
That allowed Ajax back into the second-half contest, with Hoekstra playing in Grant for a one-on-one, with her finish under Musovic bringing the Dutch side level on the night.
Ajax's Chasity Grant made it 1-1
Image:
Ajax's Chasity Grant made it 1-1
Ajax could have taken the lead - and consigned Chelsea to a rare defeat in 90 minutes - but found Musovic in inspired form. First, Leuchter cut inside brilliantly from the left and fired for the top corner, with Musovic pulling off a superb reflex save to deny her.
The Chelsea goalkeeper repeated the feat when substitute Danique Tolhoek tried a very similar move. Again, a stunning save matched a testing strike.
Catarina Macario came off the bench and nearly found a winner late on, but saw her effort saved by Van Eijk.
And Chelsea came through this routine assignment worry and injury-free - ahead of a mammoth season run-in to come.
Hayes: Ramirez has given me squad headache for cup final
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes:
"I'm happy for Mayra, it's her debut. She was excited about tonight and happy for the goal. She gives me selection problems for the weekend!
"We love winning. I love saying this to the players, I don't care who scores. We have to count on everyone almost throughout the season.
"I trust the squad and I trust the players. Some absolutely needed to recover this evening, I'm really happy for the whole squad.
"We have more diversity in the squad. More attacking options. More variety, that's probably at the heart of it. More experience.
"We've been at the latter stages so many times. We know where we have to be to play in those sort of games."
When are the Champions League semi-finals?
April 20/21: Champions League semi-finals first leg
April 27/28: Champions League semi-finals second leg
May 25: Champions League final - San Mames, Bilbao
What's next for Chelsea?
Hayes now has a maximum of 11 matches remaining as Chelsea manager, with the club still hunting a historic quadruple between now and May 25.
Next up is the chase for them to lift the Continental Cup as they take on Arsenal in the final this Sunday at Molineux, kick-off 3pm.
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