Shakhtar Donetsk host Roma tonight and Simon Hopper is tipping the Ukrainians to win again…

Manchester United chief executive David Gill has defended the club’s owners at a British parliamentary inquiry into English football.

Some Manchester United fans are angry that the Glazer family’s 2005 takeover left the club with debts that currently exceed £500 million.

Gill told the Commons committee hearing that net debt of £370m and annual interest of £45m was not hampering United.

“We know it’s there but it doesn’t impact what we do,” he said.

He added that if the £45m figure was not there “it would be better”, but it had not halted development at the club.

“There has been no impact in terms of our transfers,” Mr Gill said.

And he said that under club owners, the Glazer family, revenues had risen from £40m in 2006 to more than £100m.

Gill also said the club was correct in not holding talks with the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) as the body was “at war with the owners”, whom they wanted to get rid of.

Shakhtar Donetsk host Roma tonight and Simon Hopper is tipping the Ukrainians to win again…

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