MERSEYSIDE Police have defended their decision to allow tomorrow’s highly-charged FA Cup fifth-round tie between Everton and Manchester United to kick off at 5.15pm, amid growing concerns about security at an event notable for Wayne Rooney’s return to Goodison Park for the first time since his acrimonious departure last August.

Everton, fearful of emotions among both sets of supporters being fuelled by afternoon drinking outside the ground, were strongly opposed to an evening kick-off, but the police have insisted they were right to accept the FA’s recommendation that the match be switched for the benefit of the BBC, who will televise the match live.

Chief Superintendent Mike Langdon said: “There are numerous requests to change kick-off times and each kick-off time has its own potential and dynamic. The fact that millions will be able to see the game live is a consideration when planning the timing. There will be a strong operational order in place to deal with every eventuality on the day.”

The police presence is expected to be the largest Goodison Park has witnessed, with security concerns heightened not only by the Rooney factor but by fears that thousands of tickets for Everton sections of the ground have fallen into the hands of United supporters, who, as the authorities are well aware, could use the prime-time terrestrial audience to demonstrate against the proposed takeover of their club by Malcolm Glazer.

The problem arose when United fans were alerted to the fact that about 5,000 tickets had gone on sale through an agency, Ticketmaster, which allowed them to buy if they were prepared to claim they supported Everton. David Harrison, the Merseyside club’s secretary, played down the issue yesterday, saying that the same policy had been in place for the past decade, but added that any supporter found to be in the wrong area of the ground would be ejected.

Chief Superintendent Langdon added that there would be “a vigorous arrest policy in place to deal with those who try to get in the ground under the influence of alcohol”.

Rooney is not certain to play, having made ten appearances for club and country since returning from suspension on January 12, but Sir Alex Ferguson has previously indicated that he would be confident in the teenager’s ability to handle the inevitable hostility of the Everton supporters, whom he is also due to face in the Premiership on April 20.

United’s supporters, meanwhile, are planning to stage a torchlit protest against Glazer’s takeover bid before the European Cup match against AC Milan next Wednesday. Two groups, Shareholders United and the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association, have called on thousands of fans to join them in a march towards Old Trafford to demonstrate their opposition to the American tycoon, who submitted a revised proposal to buy the club earlier this month.

“This is a symbolic act to reiterate that if Glazer and his people start putting out stories that the silent majority are in favour of the bid, this will show that it’s a mass movement of every single United fan, joining with the board, the players and the manager, in saying we don’t want to be interfered with,” Oliver Houston, a spokesman for Shareholders United, said.

“It will probably be like something out of a Steven Spielberg movie. A sea of torches being carried down Matt Busby Way might look quite awesome.”

The supporters groups want to ensure that United remain independent and are particularly opposed to Glazer’s £800 million bid, about £300 million of which he proposes to raise by taking the club into debt.

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