United probe fans antics

Manchester United are to investigate a pre-match incident at Old Trafford today involving 11 home fans who re-enacted Jerzy Dudek’s blunder at Anfield and then taunted Liverpool fans.

The home fans, all wearing United shirts, made their way on to the pitch, before the players had come out for their pre-match warm-up.

One was wearing a Diego Forlan-style wig and another removed his shirt to reveal that he was wearing a goalkeepers’ shirt underneath with Dudek’s name on the back.

Dudek’s Anfield blunder earlier this season, when he let a header through his legs leaving Forlan with a tap-in, was acted out by the fans who then ran over to the corner flag to taunt Liverpool fans with their celebrations.

The incident took United by surprise and after the match an investigation was launched into how the fans got onto the pitch in the first place.

The incident is believed to have involved hoaxer Karl Power, who, wearing a United kit, managed to get himself on a team picture taken before the Champions League final clash with Bayern Munich.

Power also walked out to bat for England at Headingley, danced the haka as the English rugby team walked out in Rome, played on centre court at Wimbledon and celebrating on the winner’s podium after last year’s grand prix at Silverstone before winner Michael Schumacher got there.