A 20-year-old man has been arrested and charged after allegedly slapping Jack Grealish in the face at the Manchester derby. Grealish was making his way to the tunnel at Old Trafford following the game when the incident is said to have taken place.
Grealish was apparently encouraged over by a fan in the Stretford End as he made his way off the pitch before being allegedly struck by the supporter. The 29-year-old is not believed to have been seriously injured in the fracas.
Greater Manchester Police have confirmed that, following an investigation, Alfie Holt, 20, has been arrested and charged. A spokesperson said: “Alfie Holt, 20, of Haven Drive, Droylsden, has been charged with assault. He will appear at Manchester Magistrates Court.”
Grealish replaced Ilkay Gundogan as a 74th-minute substitute in a drab encounter which ended goalless.
The England star has endured a tough season so far, making just 18 Premier League appearances over the course of the campaign.
He was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s first Three Lions squad and has been linked with a move away from the Etihad in the summer.
It wasn’t the only ugly incident to emanate from the stands at Old Trafford after Phil Foden was targeted by chants referencing his mother from the home support. City boss Pep Guardiola voiced his anger following the match.
“The chants, to him? Lack of class. But it’s not United [the club], it’s the people,” the Spaniard said. “The people is… we are so exposed. The people who are now on the screen, in the world of football, managers, owners and football players, especially.
“Honestly, I don’t understand the minds of the people being involved [chanting about] the mum of Phil, being involved in that. It’s a lack of integrity, class and they should be ashamed. But it is what it is. It happens everywhere, I would say, not just in the UK. It is what it is.”
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