Mason Greenwood targeted by missiles as ex-Man Utd stars caught up in mass brawl

Mason Greenwood and team-mates were targeted by opposition fans after his goal celebration for Marseille when he scored the first of two goals in their 5-1 victory away to Nice

Mason Greenwood and his Marseille team-mates were targeted with missiles after he scored against Nice in a controversial Riviera derby clash.

The former Manchester United striker scored twice as Marseille hammered their rivals 5-1 to go top of Ligue 1. But a mass brawl broke out after his first goal, which gave ex-Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi’s side a 2-0 lead during the opening 45 minutes.

As Greenwood celebrated and appeared to taunt Nice fans by sticking out his tongue in their direction, ultras responded by hurling objects, according to GFFN, with referee Jeremy Pignard temporarily halting the game as items rained down on the pitch.

Marseille left-back Emerson Palmieri, formerly of West Ham and Chelsea, was said to have been hit by a lighter. A brawl then broke out on the touchline and spilled onto the pitch with both sets of coaching staff and players involved, including De Zerbi, Greenwood and another ex-United star, midfielder Angel Gomes, caught up in the drama.

Nice players complained that a foul should have been given in the build-up to Greenwood’s goal and moaned at the referee, claiming Manchester City centre-back Juma Bah – on loan at the club – was impeded before Greenwood scored.

Greenwood’s brace takes his season’s haul to 10 league strikes, putting him at the summit of the Ligue 1 Golden Boot standings. La Parisien splashed with the headline: “Thanks to a brace from Greenwood, the Olympians sink the Aiglons and take over as leaders”.

Heaping acclaim on the 24-year-old, reports the Express, they continued: “The Englishman then scored Marseille’s second goal himself with a right-footed shot deflected by Bard, who endured a very difficult first 45 minutes.

“The Dutch goalkeeper thwarted Terem Moffi, allowing Greenwood to finally seal the victory… the Englishman was ruthless: in the 53rd minute, he left Juma Bah for dead with a feint and a burst of speed before beating Yehvann Diouf with a perfectly placed, low, right-footed shot across goal (3-0).”

Meanwhile, GET Football awarded Greenwood an eight out of 10 in their player assessments. They penned: “The Englishman provided a brace to become top scorer in the league with 10 strikes.

“Whilst he had a quiet opening period, the former Manchester United man sprung into life when he found several pockets of space down the right side – especially on the counter attack.

“His first goal was a deflected strike off Vanhoutte, but he was well-positioned to receive the ball and drive into the dangerous area on the left side. His second strike of the evening was more impressive: Leo Balerdi released him on the edge of the box, and Greenwood shifted his body well before releasing a low strike past Diouf.”

Before the encounter with Nice, Greenwood participated in a rare interview. The forward revealed a method he employs to remain composed when faced with scoring chances. He said: “The night before a game, I’m in bed and you’re just visualising things in your head, moments on the pitch.

“And when I go out to warm up on the pitch, I like to visualise, maybe if I’m in certain situations I’ll do this or do that, so when it comes to it it’s second nature really, I can just do it straight away.”

Greenwood last played for United back in January 2022, when he started in a 1-0 win at Old Trafford against West Ham. Just days later, however, he was arrested on suspicion of attempted rape, assault and coercive control.

Greenwood, who always denied any wrongdoing, was cleared when the Crown Prosecution Service announced the case against him would be discontinued in February 2023, after key witnesses withdrew their involvement.

He joined Spanish side Getafe on loan in 2023 and Marseille the following summer.