TheCable

A Liverpool-branded team bus was on Thursday blocked on its route to Old Trafford as Manchester United fans protest ahead of their rearranged Premier League fixture.

The development is part of a larger demonstration that has taken United fans to gates of Old Trafford for the second time in less than two weeks.

In a series of pictures shared by Daniel Taylor, a journalist with The Athletic, a crowd of protesters could be seen obstructing the bus with cars. 

The journalist also alleged that the protesters also damaged the tyres of the bus. 

“Liverpool coach has been blocked into a side street near the team hotel,” he wrote on his verified Twitter account. 

“There is another bus at the team hotel but this is the official one (and the tyres have just been let down).” 

He then updated that police have cleared the road, saw to the punctured tyres and chaperoned the bus to Old Trafford.

“Police are clearing the road. About 50 or so fans dotted around but police have moved cars out the way. Hope they’ve got a pump (Still not sure it’s the right bus),” he wrote.

“And we’re on the move (including unexpected poodle photobomb).”

Meanwhile, at the stadium, images of a teeming crowd of protesters can be seen  with a group of police officers straining to be the shield between them and the stadium.

The North-west Derby was initially billed for May 2 but was postponed after a group of flare-carrying and corner-flag-waving United fans broke into the stadium in protest against the club’s ownership. 

Manchester United conceded the title to Manchester City, their arch rivals, when they lost at home to Leicester on Tuesday. 

Meanwhile, Liverpool are still chasing a top four finish and hope to scrape maximum points from all the remaining fixtures. 

The game kicks off at 8:15 pm, barring any unforeseen events.