Liverpool have been forced to step up their security arrangements at Anfield for tomorrow's match against Manchester United, with George Gillett Jr, one of the club's reviled owners, contemplating a rare visit to Anfield on a day when a planned pre-match demonstration by home supporters already threatens to fuel the hostility around the fiercest rivalry in English football.

Gillett has visited Anfield only once since last December, but he has given serious consideration to facing the wrath of the club's supporters by appearing in the directors' box tomorrow alongside a representative of Tom Hicks, his co-chairman. The situation is so sensitive that senior club officials said last night that, for security reasons, they would not confirm or deny whether either of the American tycoons would be at the game, but, barring a late change of heart, Gillett is expected to fly to Liverpool today and attend the game.

Liverpool have held talks this week with Merseyside Police about heightened security arrangements, aware that Gillett's presence could inflame the situation, with supporters planning to march to Anfield in protest at the Americans' ownership. Spirit of Shankly, the group that has organised the demonstration, has described it as “a march of passion, a march of anger, a march of red solidarity”.

Hicks and Gillett have been vilified by Liverpool's supporters over the past 12 months as their regime has lurched from one fiasco to another. Having reneged on a pledge not to take the club into debt, failed to raise the money to begin construction on a new stadium and undermined Rafael Benítez, the manager, by holding talks with Jürgen Klinsmann about replacing the Spaniard last season, they are under growing pressure to sell the club to Sheikh Mohammed, the billionaire ruler of Dubai, but so far are clinging on.

On the pitch, Benítez retains some hope of being able to include Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres in his squad after they missed this week's international matches because of injury. Torres, the Spain striker, who has had a hamstring problem, is thought to be the more likely to start the game, but Benítez will take advice from his medical staff today.