Manchester United fans light flares and chant in protest at club's owners - in pictures

Supporters are unhappy at the way the Glazers are running the club

Manchester United fans wave flares in a protest against the team's ownership before the Premier League match at Old Trafford against Norwich on April 16. PA

Manchester United fans take part in a protest against the team's ownership. PA

Anti-Glazer messages are seen on flags displayed for sale outside Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium. AFP

Police outside the stadium as fans arrive. Getty

Manchester United fans take part in a protest outside the stadium. Getty

A supporter outside Old Trafford. AP

Manchester United supporters stage protest against the club's owners. Action Images

Manchester United fans take part in a protest outside the stadium. Getty

Manchester United in front of a banner reading 'Love United Hate Glazers' outside the stadium. Getty

Manchester United supporters stage protest against the club's owners. Action Images

A street vendor is seen selling Manchester United flags outside the stadium. Getty

Manchester United fans pose in front of a Love United Hate Glazers banner. PA

Thousands of Manchester United fans staged a protest against the club's ownership on Saturday, chanting outside the ground, waving banners and letting off flares.

Many of the protesters were planning to stay outside Old Trafford until 17 minutes into the Premier League game against Norwich, a minute for each year of the Glazer family ownership.

The 1958 Group had called for fans to gather in nearby Stretford before marching to Old Trafford.

Under the Glazers, United have won five Premier League titles, an FA Cup, four League Cups, the Champions League and the Europa League. But since former manager Sir Ferguson retired in 2013, success has been limited, and the club in debt.

Interim manager Ralf Rangnick declined to offer an opinion on the Glazer family, but backed fans’ right to protest.

“There is no point in speaking or talking about that right now, that’s not the issue,” he said on Friday. “The issue is how can we win the game? It’s not my job to speak about our ownership.

“I had a long conversation before I came over here at the beginning of December with the owner. Right now it doesn’t makes sense to speak about that.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked in November with United seventh in the table, the same position they find themselves in ahead of the weekend fixtures, but Rangnick insisted he had seen signs of improvement and had no regrets on taking on a job more difficult than might have been anticipated.

“No regrets whatsoever,” he said. “I would do it over and over again."