Manchester United cancel pre-match meeting ahead of Liverpool match over security fears

22.08.2022 - 16:23 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Manchester United cancelled a planned pre-match meeting at The Lowry Hotel in Salford on Monday afternoon at short notice due to security fears.

United vs Liverpool is scheduled to kick off at 8pm on Monday night against the backdrop of another supporter-led protest against the Glazer family's ownership of the club.

Erik ten Hag and his players were scheduled to rendezvous at the Lowry, but United are understood to have scrapped the plans at around 1pm, with a small amount of fans already outside the hotel in preparation for the protest. A source said United security staff are expecting the protest to be 'a big one'.

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The United manager and his squad could instead meet at Old Trafford, as they did more than three hours before the 2pm kick-off against Brighton on the opening weekend of the season. United did not stay in the Lowry the night before that match, as they usually do before home league games, and the squad arrived at Old Trafford before 11am.

United's behind-closed-doors game against Liverpool in May 2021 was postponed after some fans broke into Old Trafford during a protest against the Glazers in the aftermath of the foiled European Super League plan.

Other supporters situated themselves outside the hotel the players were staying at—the Lowry—forming a barricade between team buses and chanting "we decide when you will play".

Jurgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager, said on Friday that his team should be awarded the three points if Monday's match does not go ahead.

"I really hope it will not happen but if it does happen I think we get the points," Klopp said. "We have nothing to do with the situation and if the supporters want the game not happening, then we cannot just