Manchester United fans showed their true colours with reaction to player who could be sold

Regardless of your opinion of Joshua Zirkzee as a footballer and whether Manchester United should have signed him, the chances are you felt sorry for him as he faced a chorus of boos from his own supporters when he was substituted in the first half against Newcastle at Old Trafford last week.

Zirkzee was ruthlessly hooked by Ruben Amorim after just 33 minutes. He endured something a footballer never wants go through, and it was made worse by facing boos from his fans.

There is no right and wrong in that scenario. You cannot criticise match going fans for booing because they have spent their own cash to attend the game and are entitled to an opinion, but the booing didn't go down well with a large contingent of Mancunians who felt it was anti-United.

"I have to feel sorry for him," said Gary Neville on commentary. "He has basically been cheered off by his own fans and that is brutal. I've not seen that too many times at Old Trafford. It's brutal."

Neville gets a lot of stick for his comments on United but he was correct in saying the treatment of Zirkzee was brutal. No player wants to be hooked in the first half, never mind being booed, and there was a suggestion that Zirkzee looked like he had tears in his eyes as he came off.

It was impossible not to feel for Zirkzee on a human level and that's why the reception he received from the travelling supporters at Anfield at the weekend was so heart-warming.

When Zirkzee emerged from the bench to warm up in the first half, his name was sung to the tune of Robin van Persie's chant and he was serenaded again when he replaced Rasmus Hojlund.

The away support at Anfield was tremendous on Sunday. They were defiant, sung loudly and their chant for Zirkzee would have done him the