Five stewards have been charged with assault after a Manchester United fan was allegedly attacked at Old Trafford following the Manchester derby last year.

The men are accused of assaulting a 49-year-old supporter in the East Stand during a sit-in protest following the goalless draw with Manchester City in April 2025.

Mohammed Jamil Akbar, 22, Yaseen Islam, 24, and Mohammed Uzair Iqbal, 24, all from Oldham, Favour Stevenson, 28, from Rochdale, and Usman Hussain, 36, from Manchester, have been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and are due to appear at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on January 7 next year.

None of the five men charged were working for United and were employed by Controlled Solutions Group, a security company contracted by the club on match days. United and CSG declined to comment.

The protest was organised as a show of opposition to the club’s decision to increase season-ticket prices and scrap concessions for OAPs and children.

United’s ticketing policy has come under fire again in recent days over a clampdown on touting that has led to thousands of fans receiving emails saying their accounts have been suspended due to suspicious activity and their season tickets could be revoked unless they provide a satisfactory explanation.

A number of supporters’ groups joined forces last week to issue a statement accusing the club of making innocent fans feel as though they are being ‘treated as suspects’ and adopting a ‘ban first and ask questions later’ approach.

On Wednesday, the Manchester United Muslims Supporters’ Club said there is a ‘feeling that Manchester United is becoming increasingly disconnected from the people who built the club’.