Bookies bemoan cancellation of Premier League showdown between Manchester United and Liverpool

Punters edged it in the Premier League this weekend as the biggest game of the round between Manchester United and Liverpool was called off due to major fan protests. United fans stormed Old Trafford to protest on the pitch against the club’s owners, the Glazer family, while others demonstrated outside of the team’s hotel, leaving the players stuck in limbo and the match postponed.

BREAKING: Angry Manchester United fans are staging a protest against the club's owners after getting inside their Old Trafford stadium.

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— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 2, 2021

Kick-off was initially delayed as the authorities hoped for calm, but the damage was ultimately done and the fixture was cancelled, with the fans having well and truly made their point as footage emerged on social media. In the fixtures that did take place, wins for the pre-match favourites put the punters in good stead despite a couple of shocks. Victories for Chelsea, Spurs, Manchester City and Arsenal made for bad news for the bookies, who also lost out on the blockbuster affair at Old Trafford. Kindred Group’s Ali Gill said: “A fairly quiet weekend in the Premier League in the end with the unfortunate loss of the blockbuster game of the weekend. Players still had a bit to get stuck in to and they probably just had the rub of the results. “Chelsea, Manchester City, Spurs and Arsenal all got the job done over the weekend to see punters collect on singles and accas. Brighton beating Leeds and Villa beating Everton away were the ‘shocks’ of the round as it were and we ended in the black there, but marginally a punters weekend all told,” he added.

The best of the action from our excellent @premierleague win over Crystal Palace! 🎥

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🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/PukIyJNIu9

— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 4, 2021

Betfred’s Alan Firkins told EGR it was a “shame” Manchester United and Liverpool didn’t face-off on Sunday. He said: “Such a shame that the big one didn’t take place at Old Trafford – but the highlight for us was seeing Sergio Aguero do what he’s been doing for the thick end of a decade and score the game’s first goal at Palace, as City get ever closer to another title – and what a goal it was.” Elsewhere, in horseracing, it was a weekend for the veterans at Newmarket as the old heads held their own in the Guineas to come out on top. The 2,000 Guineas went the way of 16/1 Poetic Flare, ridden by 54-year-old Kevin Manning and trained by 79-year-old Jim Bolger, before flat legend Frankie Dettori secured his 20^th Classic win after riding Mother Earth to victory in the 1,000 Guineas at the ripe old age of 50.

Frankie celebrates 1000 Guineas glory with Mother Earth @FrankieDettori pic.twitter.com/GOMTSupR68

— PA Racing (@PAracing) May 2, 2021

Gil said: “Guineas weekend at Newmarket saw some top-quality racing across both days. The 2,000 Guineas was won by 16/1 shot Poetic Flare under the ever-green Kevin Manning, whilst Mother Earth took the 1,000 Guineas at 10/1 under the equally ever-green Frankie Dettori in a great weekend for the veterans of the weighing room. No shock that both results were layer friendly as punters had a bit of a tough time across the two days.” Firkins added: “Poetic Flare took the 2,000 Guineas for Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning, maintaining the ‘old masters’ theme – and then more of the same on Sunday as Frankie Dettori bagged his fourth 1,000 Guineas on Aidan O’Brien’s Mother Earth, a 10/1 chance. Class is permanent, and all that.” Finally, Mark Selby won his fourth World Snooker Championship after beating a resurgent Shaun Murphy 18 frames to 15 in the final in front of a packed crowd at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. Fred Done of sponsors Betfred was on hand to present Selby with the trophy and the £500,000 winner’s cheque. Ladbrokes’ Alex Apati said: “While Crucible fans were booing Selby, we weren’t exactly doing the same as exits for O’Sullivan and Robertson earlier on in the tournament ensured it was a pretty good result for us either way in the final against Murphy.”