United angered by Lille blame game

Manchester United have reacted angrily after attempts by French officials to blame the club and their fans for the crowd problems at their Champions League match against Lille.

After supporters became crushed into a section of the Stade Felix-Bollaert in Lens, Lille's director general Xavier Thuilot pointed the finger at United, claiming their early distribution of tickets allowed high-quality fakes to be produced.

A Manchester United club spokesman told PA Sport: "Tickets were distributed by recorded delivery 11 days before the game or for collection from February 1. We would normally send out tickets for our home games at Old Trafford six weeks before the match and we have no problems with forgeries."

But Thuilot said: "We sent their quota of places to Manchester several weeks ago, as is the usual thing to do. But the English club, instead of distributing the tickets to their supporters on their arrival at the stadium, on their descent from the bus, sent them out a month ago.

"The result - some very good forgeries which have allowed some supporters to enter the stand reserved for them. All the forged tickets on the night were Manchester United tickets."

Meanwhile, the head of security at the stadium has accused United fans of sparking the problems by "violent behaviour".

Lens stadium security chief Damien Vanoise added: "There was not a problem of communication. From the moment we saw the supporters trying to pull on the railings, what interpretation we can make of that, as security guards? For me, it was violent behaviour.

"I can tell you that nobody was crushed in the wire fencing.

"There weren't too many people in that stand. The stand was not full."

United will answer the allegations fully in their report to UEFA but are privately furious Lille are trying to blame them for their own shortcomings.