Eight days after Chelsea played a Champions League match in front of only 24,973 spectators, Manchester United expect to record an attendance of more than 70,000 for their Carling Cup third-round tie against Coventry City this evening, although that impressive figure may be announced against a backdrop of empty seats at Old Trafford, or, at least, discontent among many of their supporters.

Under a controversial ticketing scheme, which has been made compulsory this season, United’s 57,000 season ticket-holders are required to buy tickets for every match in all three cup competitions, regardless of whether they wish to attend. With Coventry expected to take at least 11,000 supporters to Old Trafford, the official attendance is guaranteed to be at least 68,000, but while the figures delight those in the Old Trafford boardroom, the scheme is deeply unpopular among United fans, who see it as symptomatic of the unwelcome changes since the Glazer family’s takeover of the club in 2005.

“I wouldn’t like to estimate the number of knockdown tickets I’ve been offered for this match from season ticket-holders who don’t want to go, but have been forced to shell out for these tickets,” Mark Longden, of the Independent Manchester United Supporters’ Association, said. “The proof of the pudding will be in the eating, when we see whether there are huge empty spaces for this game.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if there are. I don’t resent paying top dollar for matches that I really want to see, but I don’t like being forced to see a game that I can’t afford or I have less interest in. That’s why I no longer have a season ticket.”

The club have defended the Automatic Cup Scheme, which was first introduced on a non-compulsory basis for the 1999-2000 season. “Three quarters of our season ticket-holders were already signed up to the scheme voluntarily,” Phil Townsend, the club’s director of communications, said. “We believe that we still offer great value for money in terms of ticket prices and the entertainment on offer and we are committed to discount ticket prices for the Carling Cup, providing our opponents agree.”

At least those United supporters who are at Old Trafford this evening, reluctantly or otherwise, may be offered a glimpse of Wayne Rooney among the lesser-known youngsters whom Sir Alex Ferguson will use in this season’s Carling Cup, which is low on the manager’s list of priorities.

Ferguson suggested last Friday that either Rooney or Louis Saha, who have just returned to the first team after spells on the sidelines because of injury, would be used as back-up for a youthful United team, but he added yesterday that the England forward has been “in my ear wanting to play” and, not for the first time, begging to be captain.

If he does start against Coventry, Rooney is likely to be entrusted with the captaincy for only the second time in a competitive match for United, with Ferguson planning to field a team that will include Tomasz Kuszczak, Phil Bardsley, Gerard Piqué, Jonny Evans and Chris Eagles, as well as at least one of the summer recruits, Anderson and Nani.