“High visibility patrols, dog handlers and officers from the Tactical Support Unit are at Old Trafford to ensure the protest remains peaceful. Some arrests have been made.”

Joel, Avi and Bryan Glazer were touring the ground during a 48-hour trip to the UK.

The three brothers took their first joint look at the stadium they now own as a result of their father Malcolm’s successful takeover.

Angry supporters gathered at Old Trafford in an effort to stop the Glazers leaving.

A group of around 200 fans were present and United officials were forced to erect security barriers to block off the directors’ entrance to the ground.

Mark Longden, of the independent Manchester United Supporters Association, said: “We want to confront them, they have been speaking to everybody else since their arrival in the UK, apart from the most important people, the fans.

“We are blocking all the exits in an attempt to force the Glazers to face us.

“This is a peaceful protest but we intend to get our message heard.”

The Glazers were in Britain to offer “the truth” about their plans for United following the completion of their takeover.

They met with representatives of the Football Association, Premier League and the Government.

Joel Glazer, who is tipped to become the new chairman, said: “There has been a lot in the UK press about us in the last 18 months and this has been an invaluable chance to tell the men who run the game what the truth is.”

Glazer will provide his first meaningful insight into how he intends to run the club on Friday evening in a pre-recorded interview with MUTV.

More details of the arrests will be released tomorrow morning but there were understood to have been a number of clashes between police and fans.

The skirmishes are believed to have broken out as protesters attempted to build barricades across nearby roads in an effort to prevent the Glazers from leaving.

A spokesman for Manchester United refused to comment on the situation.