Manchester United is keeping the movements of its players a secret amid protests against its owners.- United's game against Liverpool on May 2 was postponed when around 200 fans broke into Old Trafford.
- A 10-foot high wall and steel barriers have also been installed around the ground to halt protesters.
Manchester United is keeping the movements of its players a secret to stop them being ambushed by fans amid protests against the club's owners.
Both ESPN and the Daily Mail report that the club has launched a top-secret operation to stop protesters from disrupting its plans for Thursday's re-arranged match against Liverpool at Old Trafford.
The game against Liverpool was originally set to be held on May 2, but was postponed after around 200 fans protesting against the Glazer family's ownership of the club broke into the stadium and demonstrated on the pitch.
During the protest, six police officers were injured, one of whom suffered a slash wound to the face. A number of protestors also blocked the team from leaving the hotel it was staying at before the game.
Ahead of the re-arranged fixture, Sportsmail says the United's players have been "sworn to secrecy over their preparations" to limit the security threat.
ESPN reports that only a handful of club officials know exactly where the players are, and that the use of decoy team buses is being considered to wrong-foot any potential protests.
The club has also built a 10-foot wall and installed steel barriers around the most vulnerable areas of Old Trafford, while the number of stewards around the ground has increased three-fold.
Last week, the players' departure time from United's training ground for the Europa League semifinal against AS Roma in Italy was kept quiet until the last minute amid fears that protestors would sabotage the team bus on its way to the airport.
Ahead of the defeat to Leicester City at Old Trafford on Tuesday, players also stayed home and were only told on Monday night to meet at the training ground before travelling to the stadium, reports Sportsmail.
Protests sparked by the doomed European Super League
The recent protests against the Glazer family were sparked by United's involvement in the plans for the failed European Super League.
United was one of 12 clubs to sign up for the breakaway league, which crashed and burned within just two days after backlash from fans and soccer's governing bodies.
Manchester United co-owner Joel Glazer was named co-chairman of the competition before it fell apart.
Avram Glazer, Joel's brother and fellow co-owner, refused to apologize for the club's involvement in competition when confronted by a reporter earlier this month.
Many United supporters have had long standing issues with the Glazer family's ownership of the club, believing the Americans are simply using the club as a cash cow.
The Glazers, who also own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, bought United through a leveraged buyout for $1.1 billion in June 2005. The money for the deal was funded by debt that they would pay off using the club's future profits.
According to Goal, United has since paid out over $1.7 billion in bank fees and dividends to the Glazers.