At Old Trafford, fans and teams pay tribute to Manchester synagogue attack victims

By Canadian Press on October 4, 2025.

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Soccer fans at Old Trafford paid respect to the victims of the Manchester synagogue attack with a minute’s silence before Manchester United’s Premier League game against Sunderland on Saturday.

Both teams gathered at either side of the center circle, arms locked, before kickoff and referee Stuart Attwell blew his whistle to signal the start of the silence.

United’s players wore black armbands with the words “a city united” written on them.

The attack on the Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue on Thursday left two people dead and at least three seriously wounded after a man rammed a car into pedestrians outside the venue and then attacked them with a knife in what authorities have called a terrorist assault. On Friday, police said one of the victims appeared to have been accidentally shot by an officer as worshippers tried to stop the attacker entering the building.

United’s women’s players wore black armbands in their game Friday against Chelsea at the Progress with Unity Stadium, in Leigh, Greater Manchester, where a minute’s silence was held.

Man City plays Brentford on Sunday when the team also plans to wear black armbands and observe a silence.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The Associated Press