Manchester United took the unusual step of excluding journalists from four media outlets, including Sky, ESPN, Manchester Evening News, and the Mirror, from Tuesday’s news conference with manager Erik ten Hag.
The club asserted that it had not been afforded the right of reply regarding negative stories circulating about the team.
In a statement, the club declared, “We are taking action against a number of news organisations, not for publishing stories we don’t like, but for doing so without contacting us first to give us the opportunity to comment, challenge, or contextualise. We believe this is an important principle to defend, and we hope it can lead to a re-set in the way we work together.”
During the news conference, Erik ten Hag expressed disappointment, stating, “They should have come to us first and not go around our back printing articles – that is not the right thing. If the players have a different opinion, of course, I will listen, but they haven’t told me, or maybe one or two [players], but the majority want to play like this – proactive, dynamic, brave.”
Manchester United, currently occupying seventh place in the Premier League table, is set to face Chelsea on Wednesday.
