Greenwood scores to sink Liverpool as ex-United star urges him to 'come home'

Mason Greenwood scored and helped Fenerbahce defeat Liverpool 3-2 in the Champions League on Wednesday, reigniting debate over the 25-year-old’s future and prompting a former Manchester United player to urge the club to bring him back.

Greenwood equalised with a free-kick in the first half of the tie, his eighth goal since joining Fenerbahce in a deal worth up to £33.27 million. Clayton Blackmore, who made 186 appearances for United between 1982 and 1994, posted on X: “Well done Mason Greenwood beating Liverpool. Come home to us please.”

The forward moved to Fenerbahce from Marseille during the summer transfer window, having left United permanently in 2024. He had not featured for his boyhood club for more than two years after being arrested and charged with attempted rape, engaging in controlling behaviour, and assault. In February 2023, the Crown Prosecution Service dropped all charges, citing the withdrawal of key witnesses and the emergence of new material. United subsequently loaned him to Spanish side Getafe for the 2023-24 season before sanctioning a permanent move to Marseille for an initial £23.3 million, with a sell-on clause that earned United £10.57 million when he moved to Turkey. Greenwood has added four assists to his eight goals at Fenerbahce this season.

The win came under caretaker manager Dirk Kuyt, the former Liverpool midfielder appointed after Ismail Kartal resigned last week. Kuyt described the result as a “miracle” and drew on his time at Anfield to inspire his players.

“It was a very special night, I think not only for me, but everyone who loves Fenerbahce,” Kuyt said. “We told each other to stick together, to be united. And also to keep believing in ourselves — and that is something I learned from another club that means a lot to me, and that was Liverpool, the club we played against tonight.”

Kuyt acknowledged the tie is far from over but insisted the victory was fully merited. “We have a chance to bring another miracle in Istanbul,” he said. “I think at the end of the day, we deserved it. We created many chances. We kept pushing and fighting against, in my opinion, one of the best teams in Europe.”