Manchester United: How was Luke Littler able to get away tickets?

Adidas can meet ticket demand as it receives a small amount of tickets for each match and is duly obliged to do so.

The problem for some United fans is that away tickets are very difficult to come by and the club is under huge pressure over where they will go, amid concerns about a significant infiltration of touts selling at huge profits.

Some fans are skeptical about the club’s intentions and feel ‘normal’ fans are being squeezed by new rules on how many times tickets can be downloaded and to whom they can be forwarded and when.

For some, distrust is so great that the sight of Littler seemingly innocently having fun was enough to trigger angry posts on social media, especially when he was in the company of a senior United staff member responsible for fan attendance.

Their argument is that United are rigid in enforcing their own rules, except for high-profile fans who portray the club in a positive light. According to the rules, if Littler had asked a ‘normal’ fan for a ticket, they would have risked being banned by selling him a ticket.

United will obviously object that they have a two-tier system and most clubs find ways to get tickets to games for special occasions.

But it highlights a disconnect between fans and the club that cannot be easily resolved.