More than 700 police guarded the Aston Villa-Maccabi Tel Aviv match

Warnings of unrest and protests came from police as more than 700 officers prepared for an operation in Birmingham during Aston Villa’s Europa League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

West Midlands Police said officers would keep the public safe and would deal with any crime or disorder on Thursday.

Police horses, dogs, the force’s drone unit and road policing officers will be present in the city and people not attending the match at Villa Park are urged to avoid the area.

Last month, the decision to ban Tel Aviv fans from attending the event became the focus of debate at parliamentary level. The Israeli club later said fans would not travel to Birmingham for safety reasons.

Birmingham Police Chief Tom Joyce said: “We know that protests by various groups will be held on that day, and we have plans in place to balance the right to protest with our duty to protect all communities in Birmingham.”

Mr Joyce said officers had experience monitoring football matches and high-profile demonstrations, and had for several weeks been working closely with various faith groups and the local community to listen to their views and concerns.

He said: “Our goal during the planning for this match is to ensure people enjoy the football match while we continue to keep everyone in Birmingham safe.”

This includes facilitating peaceful protest and maintaining peace, he said.