Football is a beautiful game but it is just that  ….a game

However fanatical you are about the sport, it’s not more important than life. It should never be prioritised over other human beings and their right to feel physically and emotionally safe.
That ought to be the standard, but sadly, I’m not sure that reflects reality.

This week on social media, more attention has been given to discussing VAR than the allegations made against the crowd at the Manchester Derby.
Debates have emerged accusing officials of corruption, while comparatively little has been said about the chants directed at Phil Foden.
The irony is lost on some prominent YouTubers, who happen to support Manchester United, choosing to complain more about referees being biased than about Jack Grealish being slapped by a spectator.

This is precisely why content creators will never be regarded as journalists. They may claim that it’s the mainstream media feeling threatened or looking down on fan channels.
The truth is, while the BBC will report that a 20-year-old has been charged with assault, or Sky Sports will ask Pep Guardiola what he heard, the internet can generate headlines through conspiracy theories regardless of evidence or credibility.

The difference is that we can hear the songs sung last Sunday, and Greater Manchester Police have confirmed that Grealish was allegedly struck.
Shouldn’t that take precedence over something that can’t be proven?

It’s a sad reflection of society that such incidents, which once would have dominated the week’s talking points, are now no longer shocking.
They’re not accepted, but they’ve become so frequent that the public has almost become immune to these cowards.

Let me stress: Old Trafford happened to be the location on this occasion, but this article is not directed at any single club.
It’s been a long-standing issue across the UK—grown men and women behaving however they please within the supposed safety of their football bubble.
Some of them probably go to work and wouldn’t dare utter the things they shout on a match day.

I’m an avid Gooner. Arsenal are my greatest comfort and were my escape growing up.
I write regularly for this site. I even have a canvas of Thierry Henry in my kitchen!
But I’ve never stood at the Emirates and felt compelled to chant about someone’s family.
Arsenal have gone 21 years without winning a title—so it’s not like I’m unfamiliar with disappointment. Yet never once have I had the urge to physically or verbally attack someone.
But then, I’m educated.

I firmly believe this country must adopt zero tolerance towards this behaviour.
If found guilty, this young man should face a lengthy prison sentence, and his details should be made public so that his employer and loved ones know the kind of person he is.

We need to protect the next generation and teach them how to support properly.
They must learn that actions have consequences.

Too often, the world obsesses over nonsense and ignores the issues that truly matter.
If we genuinely want to improve the game, then stop worrying about officiating.
Worry about a fan striking a player, or a player hearing abusive chants about his mum.

What’s more important?
A referee making an incorrect decision—or a human being being mistreated?