Manchester United and Feyenoord fans clash ahead of Europa League fixture as female supporter smacked in face by flying glass
The woman was knocked to the ground after being hit by a pint glass thrown by a Dutch hooligan as fans clashed in the city
A YOUNG woman has been smacked in the face by a flying pint glass as thousands of football fans clash in Manchester ahead of tonight’s Europa League tie at Old Trafford.
The woman was knocked to the ground after the pint glass was thrown by a hooligan as Dutch fans descended on the city centre this afternoon.
She was left clutching her face following the fracas after being helped to her feet by members of the public.
Dramatic pictures show fans letting off flares into large crowds which have gathered outside the Arndale shopping centre and Printworks area of the city centre.
A huge police operation is now underway in the city centre to try and keep the number of incidents at bay as Feyenoord fans drink at pubs and bars ahead of tonight’s tasty clash.
Armed police and riot vans have been spotted patrolling the area with some officers filming the action on handheld cameras.
The Dutch club will be cheered on by 3,000 fans who have official tickets to the game against Manchester United, but more than 6,000 are thought to have travelled to the city to support their team.
It is thought up to 4,500 Feyenoord supporters may have managed to buy tickets for the home section of Old Trafford via the Manchester United website.
The home team are favourites to win the ‘knockout game’, with victory needed to qualify for the latter stages of the Europa League.
Feyenoord are one of the most notorious for football violence in all of Holland.
Ten years ago they were booted out of the UEFA Cup for rioting away at Nancy in France and, just a week ago, a video emerged of the two sets of fans having another scrap to mark the anniversary.
Since 2009, all the club’s games against hated rivals Ajax have been played without away fans.
And the match against Man United in Rotterdam was played in front of a reduced 26,000 capacity, with 50% of the De Kuip stadium closed due to fears over crowd trouble.
Feyenoord are set to bring 25 undercover spotters and stewards to sit in the away end at Old Trafford and ensure the match passes without incident.
Greater Manchester Police said no arrests had yet been made in the city centre but confirmed there was a large police presence.
It comes just hours after two teenagers were stabbed outside a college in the city centre in a bust up ‘over a girl’.
Emergency services were called to The Manchester College, in Chorlton Street, at around 11.15am today.
A 17-year-old boy was taken to hospital with a stab wound to his chest and an 18-year-old man was taken to hospital with a stab wound to his back.
Both are said to be receiving treatment for their injuries.
Dutch fans arriving for tonight’s game have been asked to collect their tickets from Manchester’s Victoria train station.
They will be given a wristband which must be shown before they can enter the game.
Feyenoord beat Manchester Untied 1-0 in Rotterdam earlier this season and are currently ahead of Jose Mourinho’s side in Group A.
But a win for Manchester United will almost ensure progression to the knock out stages of the competition.
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