Despite having a reputation as one of the giants of the game, Manchester United are currently in a bit of a sorry state at the moment. Now, the latest development has seen the first-team training in a rather unusual spot before this weekend’s game against West Ham, and fans are bemused.
From the leaky roof at Old Trafford that shows no sign of getting fixed, to Sir Alex Ferguson being sacked to save money on the wage bill, and the latest embarassing revelation that United asked their rivals, Manchester City, to fly Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho to the Ballon d’Or ceremony, the club is really putting fans through the wringer right now.
That’s not to mention the pressure Erik ten Hag is under, with the Man Utd boss reportedly close to losing his job after a poor run of results on the pitch. The Red Devils face West Ham this weekend, and their trip to London has put them in a bizarre predicament when it comes to training preparations.
Turns out, United have had to train at League One side Leyton Orient’s ground this weekend in advance of the big Premier League clash with the Hammers on Sunday afternoon.
The news was via a video from Twitter user Jok3rDan, with the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Joshu Zirkzee, and Manuel Ugarte all spotted on the pitch at the Gaughan Group Stadium in London on Saturday.
Presumably, there were no other facilities available nearby. Whether that’s because United bosses failed to prepare and book in advance, or if this is yet another cost-cutting measure, is unknown at this time.
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United fans have not reacted well to this latest development, taking to social media to voice their derision at the idea of their team training on a pitch belonging to a team two divisions below them.
One user wrote: “Surprised they can afford to pay to use it,” while another said, “This man has made United train everywhere, yet no results.”
The actual manner of the training session has been called out for criticism, too, with one fan describing the players as looking “clueless” and another claiming they “don’t see any good vibes” among the squad.
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Bruno Fernandes has had a poor start to the season (Credit:Getty)
Ten Hag will be hoping his players can earn a win against West Ham this weekend to relieve some of that pressure on his shoulders. United have won just one of their last six matches in all competitions, but could make it two wins in a row in the Premier League tomorrow.