Thirty minutes from kick off and it’s strangely calm, controlled. Some officers take a moment to heat up food, others take a screen break and stretch their legs. The match specialists in the Manchester constabulary have been preparing since August for this one.
The threat of violence assessment for the game is ‘substantial’. Outside, the dog team, a horse unit featuring Irish thoroughbreds, a drone unit, motorbike team and on-foot officers - all of whom are wearing body cameras with some feeds funnelled back live to base, are at work.
Officially, 3,700 Rangers fans have made the journey.