TNT Sports complaints over Man United Europa League coverage confirmed by Ofcom

Latest Manchester United transfer news as Rio Ferdinand and Robbie Savage received complaints for TNT Sports coverage of United

TNT Sports' coverage of Manchester United's dramatic Europa League comeback win over Lyon was met with over 100 complaints to Ofcom.

United came from two goals down in the last 10 minutes of extra-time to knock out the French side in the quarter-final stage of the competition. Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo and then Harry Maguire scored in added time to send the home fans into raptures.

Rio Ferdinand and Robbie Savage, two former United players, were both co-commentators during TNT Sports' coverage of the game. TNT had a camera on the commentary showing lead commentator, Darren Fletcher, inbetween Ferdinand and Savage.

When both Mainoo and Maguire scored, the camera showed both celebrating United's goals with excitable responses. After Mainoo's equaliser went in, Ferdinand said: "I believe in miracles, Wow."

Now, Ofcom have revealed how they received 102 complaints for the 'bias' coverage, with only ITV's Celebrity Big Brother ranking with more complaints.

Ofcom release which shows have received more than 50 complaints from viewers and between April 15 and April 21, with United's game with Lyon ranking second in the list.

According to the Daily Mail, Ofcom have confirmed that the complaints are alleged biased commentary. Big Brother brought in 125 through complaints that week.

In the aftermath of the game, popular commentator Clive Tyldesley likened Ferdinand's coverage of United's European comeback to 'MUTV'. Writing in his blog, he said: "Over on TNT Sport, lead commentator Darren Fletcher was playing gooseberry to two former United players that were just loving the comeback.

"We know this because Rio Ferdinand and Robbie Savage could not only be heard but also seen on "CommCam". So, just in case we were wondering if Rio’s voice had temporarily lost the frequency of the commentator’s traditional neutrality, we could watch his fist punching the air over and over in delight. I got the impression that he maybe knew the hidden camera was there. Could be wrong.

"Fletch had been savvy enough to take a deep breath in the wake of United’s equaliser – my wonderful mentor Reg Gutteridge used to call it "thinking time" – before delivering the catchy line “Kobbie Mainoo is the coolest kid in Old Trafford and Manchester United are level”. Either side of him, Rio and Robbie were unashamedly losing their collective cool to welcome us to MUTV."

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