A violent altercation erupted during Saturday's pre-season encounter between Aston Villa and Marseille when defender Tyrone Mings physically confronted Mason Greenwood, leaving the forward's shirt torn.
The Villa captain went for Greenwood following a reckless challenge, grabbing and manhandling the 23-year-old striker in heated scenes at the Stade Velodrome.
Mings, who remained on the bench during Greenwood's sole England appearance in Iceland five years ago, reacted furiously to his former international colleague's conduct.
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The 32-year-old defender's forceful intervention saw him grasp Greenwood's shirt and swing him around, ripping the fabric in the process during what was meant to be a routine pre-season fixture.
Mason Greenwood's shirt was ripped off during the altercation
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The confrontation was triggered when Greenwood launched a dangerously late challenge on Amadou Onana, sending the Belgian midfielder sprawling.
The former Manchester United player's unnecessary kick drew immediate anger from the Villa squad, with Onana himself initially confronting the attacker.
Greenwood appeared to find the situation amusing, laughing as tensions escalated around him.
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His amusement quickly vanished when Mings collected the ball and marched towards him with clear intent.
The Villa captain's physical response left Greenwood visibly shaken, though he managed to remain on his feet despite the forceful handling.
Marseille players rushed to defend their teammate as the situation threatened to escalate into a full-scale brawl between both squads.
The incident prompted widespread support for Mings across social media platforms.
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Fans took to social media to praise Tyrone Mings for his actions
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"Tyrone Mings absolutely manhandling Mason Greenwood," one supporter observed.
Another fan declared: "This is one of the reasons why we love him so much at the Villa."
The defender's actions earned further praise, with a third commenting: "What a man Tyrone Mings."
"Tyrone Mings is now my favourite player," another viewer stated.
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A fifth supporter added: "My respect for Tyrone Mings has gone right up."
The online reaction overwhelmingly backed the Villa captain's response to Greenwood's dangerous tackle, with supporters commending his protective stance towards teammate Onana.
Despite the confrontation, Marseille secured a comfortable 3-1 triumph over their Premier League opponents.
Greenwood opened the scoring after just five minutes, netting his seventh pre-season goal, before John McGinn drew Villa level.
Aston Villa lost the match 3-1
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Former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang then struck twice to ensure victory for Roberto De Zerbi's team.
The result concluded Villa's penultimate pre-season fixture ahead of their Premier League campaign.
Unai Emery's side face Villarreal on Sunday in their final warm-up match before welcoming Newcastle United to Villa Park for next Saturday's lunchtime kick-off.
The incident between Mings and Greenwood overshadowed what was otherwise a routine pre-season encounter between two sides preparing for their respective domestic campaigns.