The football world has come out in support of Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford after the Manchester United duo were targeted by the British press.The Mirror wrote a story claiming the Red Devils were concerned about Greenwood throwing away his career in a similar way that Ravel Morrison did.Greenwood’s attitude and lifestyle have been called into question more than once this season and the media pile-on continued with the Mirror’s latest article.Former United players Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand were among those to call the newspaper out.“I’ve enjoyed the last ten years but ‘Unfollowed’,” Neville tweeted.
Ferdinand added: “Can you name the Manchester United officials you spoke to for this story please?!”
Watford player Will Hughes reacted on Twitter by writing: “Who actually writes this s***e? And how does it get published?”
Morrison himself weighed in, writing: “Madness”.
Greenwood wasn’t alone in being targeted.
His teammate Rashford was the subject of a largely pointless story by the Daily Mail about his property investments.
Rashford, 23, reacted to the story on Twitter.
“Ok, so let’s address this. I’m 23. I came from little. I need to protect not just my future but my family’s too,” Rashford said.
“To do that I made a decision at the beg of 2020 to start investing more in property. Please don’t run stories like this alongside refs to ‘campaigning’.”
Rashford and Greenwood have the support of millions around the country, and many Man United fans are expecting a response from the club.
Sir Alex Ferguson wouldn’t have stood for it, that’s for sure.
A video of the former United boss reprimanding journalists at a press conference in 2010 has resurfaced in the wake of the Greenwood and Rashford stories.
“First of all, I just want to address you people in front of me, from the dailys,” Ferguson started.
“I’ve had some of yous banned for a few weeks. To be honest, I got fed up with it. Your job is to tell the truth, right? That’s your job.
“You can quote me on things when I’m accurate, things that I’ve said. But I’m not gonna have you twisting everything I say, ok? So the next time, it’s finished.
“You don’t get let back in, ok? I’m making that clear to you. You don’t get back in. Finished.
“I’m fed up of having to read papers talking about things I say, and know I’ve said, and you’ve completed twisted it around, lie.
“Your job is to tell the truth, that’s your job as a journalist. If you can’t do that, you’re in the wrong job, ok? I’ve made that clear.”
Watch the fiery moment below.
Imagine Ole Gunnar Solskjaer coming out and saying something along the same lines when he next speaks to the media.
That would be huge.