Manchester United: Fans hold protest march to Old Trafford before Liverpool game

Fans marched to Old Trafford to show their discontent with the Glazer family, who own Manchester United

Thousands of Manchester United fans marched to Old Trafford before Monday night's game against Liverpool in protest of the club's ownership.

A "United for sale" banner featuring a photo of British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who wants to buy the club, was on display during the walk.

Manchester United's home league game against Liverpool in May last year was postponed because of fan protests.

That fixture was meant to be played behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic but thousands of United supporters gathered outside the ground in the hours before the scheduled kick-off and around 200 fans then broke into the stadium.

On this occasion, supporters lit flares and gathered outside the ground and chanted: "We want Glazers out" in the 30 minutes before the game got under way.

Manchester United supporters' group 'The 1958' organised the march in protest of what it called "an ownership that is systematically starving and killing the greatest football institution in world football, for greed".

The discontent felt by some United fans dates back to the Glazers' takeover of the club 17 years ago, but there have been multiple protests against the Americans' ownership in recent years.

On 7 August, thousands of supporters marched from outside Media City in Salford to Old Trafford, prior to Erik ten Hag's first game in charge of United against Brighton, which the home side lost 2-1.

The march by fans took place in the hour before kick off in the Premier League game between Manchester United and Liverpool

Businessman Michael Knighton, who has been linked with a takeover bid, was at the protest