Man Utd protest group release damning statement ahead of anti-Glazer march

A Manchester United protest group has slammed the club's current plight ahead of a planned march against the Glazers this weekend.

United are set to host Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday, and they are currently on course for their worst season of the Premier League era.

The Red Devils are 14th in the league and were knocked out of the FA Cup by Fulham on Sunday, while they are also set to make up to 200 redundancies in the coming weeks amid cost-cutting measures brought in by part-owners Ineos.

United fans are laying most of the blame for their decline at the Glazers' door, and will protest against the club's majority owners ahead of the Arsenal match.

Fans have been encouraged to wear black to represent how the club is 'slowly dying', with the protest group also claiming that this is United's worst crisis in almost 70 years.

'The club is slowly dying before our eyes, on and off the pitch and the blame lies squarely at the current ownership model,' said 1958 protest group spokesman Steve Crompton.

'In many ways this is the biggest crisis United has faced since the Munich air disaster which inspires our name. The club is facing financial armageddon. Debt is the road to ruin. Sir Matt Busby would be turning in his grave at the current plight of one of the world's greatest football institutions which is being brought to its knees and in many ways becoming a laughing stock.

'The club is going backwards and it is likely to get even worse. We urge fans to rise up, unite and join us at 3pm on Sunday as we march to the ground and protest against the despised Glazers and the club's deliberate assault on fan culture.

'We have been working hard across both club and non-club boundaries for the betterment of fans, our club and football for some time. Today we announce protest details which will not just be limited to action at the ground. This is more than just a club to us. We are more than just a number on a seat.'

The 1958 Munich air disaster claimed 23 lives, including eight United first team players.

Busby survived and went on to rebuild the club, as United won league titles in 1965 and 1967, before winning their first European Cup in 1968.

It was a remarkable comeback story, and some supporters now appear to feel that a similar rebuild will be needed for United to return to their glory days under Busby and then Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ruben Amorim has won just five of his 16 league matches since replacing Erik ten Hag in November, losing eight.

United must now win the Europa League to get back into Europe next season after a disastrous domestic campaign.

There are also several issues off the pitch, with fans fearing the prospect of rising ticket prices amid concerns over United potentially breaching profit and sustainability rules (PSR), while the canteen has also been closed for non-playing staff, who will now only be offered free fruit instead.