A 20-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly slapping Manchester City midfielder Jack Grealish in the face during the Manchester derby at Old Trafford over the weekend. According to reports, Grealish was walking toward the tunnel following the goalless draw when he was allegedly struck by a spectator from the Stretford End. Despite no serious harm, the incident added controversy to an otherwise uneventful match.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed that Alfie Holt, 20, from Droylsden, was arrested and charged with assault. A police spokesperson said, “Alfie Holt, 20, of Haven Drive, Droylsden, has been charged with assault. He will appear at Manchester Magistrates Court.”
Grealish, who had come on as a substitute for Ilkay Gundogan in the 74th minute, has faced challenges this season, with limited playing time and speculation surrounding his future at Manchester City after being dropped from the latest England squad.
The match was further marred by inappropriate chants directed at Phil Foden’s mother, an act which drew strong criticism from Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. Guardiola condemned the behavior, stating, “The chants, to him? Lack of class. But it’s not United [the club], it’s the people. Honestly, I don’t understand the minds of people involved in that. It’s a lack of integrity and class, and they should be ashamed.”
Despite the tensions, the match ended in a goalless draw, with both teams failing to create clear chances. Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim expressed satisfaction with his side’s defensive improvements, despite the lack of goals. He remarked, “We are improving how we defend, we are more compact, and we gave them less space than in previous games. We are creating chances, but we need to improve our finishing.”
Ultimately, the match left Manchester United sitting 13th in the Premier League standings, while City continues to look for improvement in their attacking play.
