MANCHESTER UNITED turned Old Trafford’s corporate boxes into substitute bedrooms to try and stop the threat of anti-Glazer protesters affecting their stars.
Liverpool’s team bus was blocked in on a side street near the team’s hotel as supporters set off smoke bombs and flares outside the ground ahead of tonight’s Premier League clash.
Cops quickly stopped the reported 50 protesters from holding up the bus any longer and Liverpool’s transport was soon on its way towards the Theatre of Dreams as the visitors arrived just before 7pm.
Around 2,000 United fans welcomed it to Old Trafford by setting off smoke bombs and flares as supporters also brandished banners with anti-Glazer slogans in scenes reminiscent of 11 days ago, when the game was originally meant to be played.
United supporters descended on Old Trafford to protest the Glazer family ahead of kick-off on Sunday, May 2.
A large group broke onto the pitch as police struggled to contain those outside the stadium in what was a largely peaceful protest – but the scenes led to the game being postponed and rearranged for tonight.
The Athletic claims that United chiefs did plan ahead for the protest – turning corporate boxes at their stadium into substitute bedrooms so players arriving early for the game could relax inside the ground and avoid the drama outside.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad arrived SEVEN HOURS early for their rearranged showdown while security was beefed up.
They usually stay at the nearby Lowry hotel before home games, which is also used to hold group meetings for players to rest on matchdays.
They are then usually transported via bus on a 10-minute journey to Old Trafford.
But it is understood United staff deemed that option was not the ‘ideal setting’ for the Liverpool game amid the trouble last time.
Instead they transformed boxes in the Sir Bobby Charlton stand for the star-studded squad.
Beds were moved in to help players recover after two matches in 72 hours to be able to rest properly.
Extra security measures have also been put in place.
A ten-foot-high temporary wall was erected around the Munich Tunnel, the area where fans broke into the ground earlier this month.
There were also dozens of extra police, some with dogs, present for both tonight and Tuesday’s game with Leicester City, even though no protests were planned prior to that 2-1 defeat to the Foxes.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
