MPs criticise owners

The six, led by Walton's Peter Kilfoyle, have called on Gordon Brown to put pressure on the Royal Bank of Scotland to pull the plug on the £350m loan they have given the American duo. The MPs are hoping that if the bank calls in the loan Hicks and Gillette will be forced to sell the club.

"The Government is not putting £20bn of tax-payers money into the RBS in order for two foreign nationals to use that money to buy a British institution without putting in any money of their own," said Mr Kilfoyle.

"The American owners have failed to deliver a new stadium for Liverpool FC, thereby delaying indefinitely the regeneration of one of the most needy areas of the country."