Premier League fans claim British media has found 'new Sterling' after Greenwood attack

Manchester United youngster Mason Greenwood showed promising signs at Old Trafford in his breakthrough season, to the extent of drawing comparisons with club legend Cristiano Ronaldo. The young forward, who is set to embark on his third season with the first team received flak recently over a video of him inhaling laughing gas. Premier League fans were, however, quick to point out the blame game British media has been playing over the years, most recently for the attack on Greenwood. 

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Mason Greenwood's gas video goes viral, Man United star apologises 

Mason Greenwood and Manchester City youngster Phil Foden received national team call-ups before a video of the duo went viral. In the video, Greenwood and Foden are seen inhaling gas from a balloon. The video involving the duo went viral on video-sharing platform Snapchat and began attracting criticism from several quarters. 

Following the video and the Iceland situation, Greenwood and Foden were asked to return to England for having breached the COVID-19 protocols. Following extensive coverage from the British media, Greenwood, in a statement apologised for the act. He claimed that he was informed of the health risks associated with the practice.

Practising such acts was a poor judgement on his part, added Greenwood. As an 18-year-old, Greenwood said he is learning new things with every passing day. The Man United starlet explained that he has also learned that he will be judged to a higher standard because of his career as a footballer and he will respect this in the future. 

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Premier League fans draw comparison with Raheem Sterling 

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Is Mason Greenwood the new scapegoat for the British media?

However, the attack by the British media on Mason Greenwood hasn't gone down well with Premier League fans. Premier League football enthusiasts believe that the media has found a new scapegoat in Greenwood, who can now be relentlessly attacked. Some fans believe that the media is replicating the role they played while defaming Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling. 

Raheem Sterling has been one of the soft targets for the media, dating back to 2014. The media has often targeted the Man City star with their sensational headlines taking aim with sly digs for the measliest things not remotely attached to his professional life. 

Raheem Sterling was subject to racial abuse by a section of Chelsea fans at Stamford Bridge during a Premier League clash in 2018. After the game, he went on to lash out at the media, advising them to have a second thought about how they cover such incidents. He also stressed to the media that every player needs to be given an equal opportunity to speak out. 

Some headlines targeted at Sterling that have gone unnoticed include The Sun's article - 'From troubled youth to £100k a week. The life of footie idiot Raheem Sterling', which tried to portray him as a troublemaker. Another in The Sun's coverage of Sterling was a headline that produced a wave of controversy - 'Prem rat of the Caribbean', which labelled him a rat after he was seen holidaying with a friend. 

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Image courtesy: Mason Greenwood, Raheem Sterling Instagram