Arsenal fans mock Old Trafford’s leaking roof as storm hits stadium almost full-time during Gunners’ 1-0 win – while Red Devils fans SLAM Glazers after scenes ‘ absolutely embarrassing”
- Man United suffered their ninth home defeat in all competitions this season
- Scenes from Old Trafford’s leaky roof were more damning than Arsenal defeat
- Erik ten Hag ‘lost the plot’ in ‘CAR-CRASH’ head coaching role at Man United – Listen to It’s All Kicking Off! podcast
Manchester United’s sea of problems was laid bare on Sunday evening with the embarrassing scenes of rain falling on the leaking roof of Old Trafford as the final whistle blew for yet another home defeat.
Erik ten Hag’s side were much improved after their 4-0 humiliation at Crystal Palace last Monday, but they nevertheless failed to find the net as they lost 1-0 against Arsenal.
Old Trafford had been bathed in sunshine for most of the match, but when thunderstorms broke out towards the end of the match, roof problems were once again revealed.
A torrent of water cascaded onto the pitch, forcing many supporters to run for cover, while many spectators of the heavyweight clash took to social media to lament the sad state of the one of the most important symbols of the club.
“Absolutely embarrassing, this sums up the negligence the Glazers have shown towards the upkeep and maintenance of Old Trafford and Carrington,” one fan wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Spectators were shocked when rainwater rushed onto the leaking roof of Old Trafford on Sunday evening.
Supporters were forced to quickly leave the affected areas as thunderstorms began towards the end of their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal.
Old Trafford was quickly flooded with water after a thunderstorm exposed Old Trafford’s roof problems
“Their stripping of their assets has made them unfit for their purpose and left us lagging behind other teams on and off the field.”
Another wrote: “United fans deserve better!! Fix the fucking roof!!!’ A third said: “Rotten clubs in every way. »
‘They still haven’t repaired the roof?? sorry for the people sitting right under the hole in the ceiling,” said another.
Following his £1.3 billion purchase, Sir Jim Ratcliffe planned to spend £245 million upgrading Old Trafford.
Besides the roof, problems include cramped lobbies, insufficient legroom, crumbling concrete, peeling paint and a lack of space to expand capacity. The myriad problems have become a symbol of the Glazers’ neglect over the past 18 years.
The so-called Theater of Dreams, once arguably England’s best club ground, has been allowed to decline as more and more Premier League rivals take advantage of modern, high-tech facilities.
Manchester City fans began chanting “Old Trafford is falling apart” to mock the plight of their neighbors. On Sunday, it was the Gunners supporters who sang the overwhelming chorus from the stands.
“When will this be fixed (Ratcliffe)? » Wrote a fan. “It’s poor enough to watch this football, it’s even poorer to watch it in a waterfall.”
Man United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe (middle) was present at the clash. He promised to invest in improving the stadium
Many United fans have taken to social media to criticize the Glazer family for their lack of investment in the stadium.
Another simply commented a “disgrace” on a post of one of the many videos circulating online showing rain falling through the roof.
In one clip, fans could be seen dodging the deluge that came through the ceiling of one of the concourses. In another shocking video, streams of rainwater flowed into the stands and onto the pitch below.
Despite Ratcliffe’s best intentions, as an industry insider told Mail Sport last year, his £245m ‘won’t hit the sides’ given ‘the huge amount of work involved’ .
This could allow a fresh coat of white paint to be applied to the cantilevered roof exposed to Manchester’s notoriously bad weather and repair the holes through which rain often pours onto fans who have paid money hard earned for their ticket.
But without similar or greater investment from the Glazers, it will be impossible to expand Old Trafford beyond its current capacity of 74,310 by building a new level at the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand and giving it a facelift to everything else.
Erik ten Hag’s side recorded their ninth home defeat in all competitions this season, the biggest defeat in the club’s history.
United have invested tens of millions in stadium improvements in recent years, including renovating the disabled area, improving management areas and installing safety rails.
They state that “maintaining one of the world’s most historic stadiums is a never-ending process and one we are committed to continuing.”
