Man Utd fan who slapped Jack Grealish at end of derby clash with Man City BANNED from Old Trafford after arrest on assault charge

The unsettling episode occurred shortly after the final whistle of the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City, which ended in a 0-0 draw. As Grealish made his way off the pitch and headed towards the players’ tunnel, he was allegedly approached by 20-year-old Alfie Holt, who reportedly gestured for the England star to come closer before raising a hand to him.

Following Holt’s formal charge by police authorities, United wasted no time in responding. The club has imposed a ban on Holt, barring him from attending future matches at Old Trafford. The ban underscores the club’s zero-tolerance stance towards unacceptable behaviour.

A representative from Greater Manchester Police issued a formal statement regarding the matter, saying: "Alfie Holt, 20, of Droylsden, has been charged with assault. He will appear at Manchester Magistrates Court in July. This charge relates to an incident which took place at Old Trafford Football Club.”

Those living near Holt expressed shock at the news, describing the young man in positive terms and finding the allegations hard to believe.

One woman, familiar with Holt, voiced her disbelief: "I'm very surprised he's been charged by the police. It seems very out of character. He's a lovely lad and I always have a chat with him when I see him in the road. He's got a steady girlfriend and he helps his dad a lot with jobs around the house. I can't imagine him doing something like that."

In addition to the Grealish incident, Phil Foden was subjected to repeated abuse from sections of the United crowd during the derby. Offensive chants directed at Foden’s mother echoed through the stadium, with fans reportedly calling her a “s**g” on multiple occasions.

Despite the ugly scenes following the derby, Grealish is not believed to have suffered any significant injury from the altercation. With the incident behind him, the former Aston Villa captain will be hoping to regain his spot in the starting lineup when City travel to face Crystal Palace on Saturday.