LONDON, Feb 21: British sports minister Richard Caborn and Manchester United football club have called for urgent action after United fans appeared to be crushed on a safety barrier in their Champions League match.

The club is calling for eye witness accounts and Caborn has urged European football's governing body UEFA to ensure safety in stadiums following United's 1-0 victory over Lille in their last 16, first leg match at Lens's Felix-Bollaert stadium on Tuesday night.

A UEFA spokesman told AFP early on Wednesday they would wait for reports from the match delegate and the referee, which must be sent within 48 hours, before making a statement.

At least two supporters, one a schoolboy, were lifted over the barrier while security officials slammed shut a gate which had been pushed open by United supporters trying to relieve the pressure.

What could have been a chilling reminder of the Hillsborough tragedy in 1989 was not aided by the arrival of French riot police who fired tear gas into the stand.

Ironically, Lille play their European matches at Lens because their Metropole stadium does not meet UEFA standards.

But Caborn wants safety checks to be brought forward to weeks in advance of the match, rather than on the day of the game.

He told LBC radio: “I think some of the grounds are not coming up to what even UEFA are saying are the minimum standards and I think one's got to be asking UEFA are they now going to be taking action with those grounds that are not coming up to the standards?

“Not a few hours before the match but weeks before the match so they go out, they look at those grounds and indeed if they're not up to standard then UEFA - by their own code - ought to be taking action.

“There are a number of grounds where Champions League matches are being played that don't come up to the standard of UEFA.

“Now I think it's up to UEFA to make sure they do carry out inspections and those inspections are acted upon if they are substandard.”

Caborn revealed: “One of the problems you have is that they go and inspect the ground on the day the match is taking place.

“We'll be raising it with UEFA in a very practical way because the independent football commission have a series of recommendations which, if followed, situations like Lille won't happen.”

United keeper Edwin van der Sar complained of double vision afterwards, while many Red Devils supporters expressed their disgust at the treatment they had received.

Television companies suggested the problem was caused by stadium officials allowing supporters with tickets for different sections of the ground entrance into that enclosure.

If that is proved, Lille seem set to receive a heavy punishment from UEFA.

United assistant secretary Ken Ramsden met with UEFA delegates, FA representatives who were at the game as well as members of the Lille hierarchy while the police will also be asked for their input into any inquiry.

“We have obviously received a lot of information from various sources but we would welcome any more detail from fans in the affected area because it is important we establish precisely what has happened,” said United director of communications Phil Townsend. —AFP