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Key information about Old Trafford

Old Trafford was built in 1910 and is now the home of Manchester United. The ground is located in an area called Old Trafford in Greater Manchester and is actually the largest club stadium in the country and second-largest overall behind Wembley.

It has a capacity of 74,879 and a pitch that measures 105m by 68m. Of course, the surface is covered with Desso GrassMaster hybrid turf and it has undersoil heating installed with no running track surrounding it.

Intriguingly enough, Old Trafford’s record attendance was set in 1939 when 76,962 supporters watched the FA Cup semi-final clash between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Grimsby Town.

A history of Old Trafford

Even though the so-called Theater of Dreams has been the home of the Red Devils since it was constructed in 1910, Manchester United were playing their football at North Road and then Bank Street in Clayton back when they were still known as Newton Heath. But following some damage to the old grounds and the club’s soaring ambitions, they decided to relocate.

The original design was to be overseen by Archibald Leitch and envisioned a capacity of 100,000 but increased cost meant they would tone down their excitement and set the bar at 80,000 instead. The development was completed in late 1909 with an initial name of United Football Ground, only to be renamed Old Trafford in early 1936.

Man United’s inaugural game at the stadium arrived on 19 February 1910 but the hosts would lose that game 3-4 to Liverpool. In the following years – being one of the best-looking stadiums in Britain – Old Trafford hosted a plethora of high-level events such as the FA Cup finals and international clashes. It recorded its highest ever attendance for a game that didn’t include Man United as Wolves and Grimsby Town attracted a crowd of 76,962 in 1939.

Interestingly enough, between 1941 and 1949 the club had to share Maine Road with their local rivals Manchester City since their ground suffered severe bomb damage during WWII. After the war, however, renovations were started with a new roof over the Main Stand, floodlighting and a complete redesign of the United Road stand on the north side of the ground with the east one soon following suit.

The rise of hooliganism and a knifing incident prompted the club to erect the country’s first perimeter fence in 1971 and in 1975, they built an Executive Suite in the Main Stand. However, with every following improvement, the capacity slowly declined, and after the Taylor Report and Old Trafford’s conversion into an all-seater in the early 1990s, it would plummet to an all-time low of 44,000.

But the club would continue to grow and numerous other improvements were done over the years to complement their success and the fast-approaching Euro 1996 where Old Trafford was to host three group games, a quarter-final and a semi-final clash. They erected a new £18.65 million three-tier stand in place of the North Stand, added a second tier to the East Stand and increased capacity along the way too.

Old Trafford‘s most recent expansion took place between July 2005 and May 2006 and resulted in an additional capacity boost, later to be taken a step further again. There was talk of a huge redevelopment that would see the stadium boast a maximum capacity of 95,000, eclipsing Wembley’s 90,000, but the idea has been on and off over the years.

Another problem is that such a big project would likely stretch over multiple seasons, forcing Man United to vacate Old Trafford during the works. The only suitable replacement venues for the club would in turn be the Etihad or Anfield.

Tickets to watch Manchester United at Old Trafford

All tickets to watch Manchester United play at Old Trafford can be found and purchased on the club’s official website. However, match tickets for Premier League games at Old Trafford are sold exclusively to Official Members and the price is determined by the age group and by the area of the stadium in which you wish to sit.

The most expensive adult ticket costs £58 and the club offers a season tickets scheme as well as memberships that can lower the price.

Related links

https://www.manutd.com/en – Official website of Manchester United

http://manutd.com/en/tickets-and-hospitality – Manchester United Ticket Office

Tottenham Hotspur continued their newfound momentum by beating Newcastle United 3-1 at St James’ Park. 

Harry Kane’s two strikes took his tally to 201 goals in 350 games, with the majority of those for Tottenham (BBC).

Spurs are now enjoying an unbeaten run stretching back to the 1-0 win at home to Everton. Nevertheless, Noel Whelan has blasted full-backs Serge Aurier and Ben Davies for their “wasteful” performances on the wings.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Leeds United striker ripped into the defensive duo, suggesting Spurs are “missing a goalscoring opportunity without having that quality.”

Aurier and Davies have established themselves as Jose Mourinho’s first choice full-backs as they have started every game since the Premier League restart, winning four out of a possible seven games so far.

Son Heung-min opened the scoring before Kane added the extras to mark the first time Mourinho had won a Premier League game at St James’ Park.

The Ivorian’s scuffed clearance allowed Matt Ritchie to bury an equaliser, but Kane combined with Steven Bergwijn to keep Newcastle quiet.

Whelan told assistant editor Russell Edge “when you get into areas out wide where you’ve got a striker like that who’s fantastic in the air and can score all kinds of goals in the box, I think me as a striker would be tearing my hair out.

“We see it at Leeds at times, all that hard work and great work at times getting into the final third but with a wasteful ball. You’re missing a goalscoring opportunity without having that quality.

“That is somewhere that Tottenham are lacking – Aurier to me is not their solution.”

With all due respect, it seems Whelan has gone too far this time. Aurier started just two days after his younger brother Christopher was shot dead in Toulouse.

Although the 27-year-old was at fault for the error that led to Newcastle’s equaliser, he still made 3 clearances, completed 4 tackles, and finished the game with a pass accuracy rating of 85% (via SofaScore).

The ex-Paris Saint-Germain ace has played 31 games in the Premier League this season, scoring one goal, supplying five assists, making 1.1 key passes per game, averaging 2.8 tackles, and registering 2.6 clearances on average (stats provided by WhoScored).

Mourinho had been considering Gedson Fernandes, Oliver Skipp and Moussa Sissoko as possible alternatives in the event that Aurier could not play, but with so much at stake, the Ivory Coast captain showed he is a team player who is committed to the cause.

It might not have been his best performance of the season, but he still managed to play the full 90 minutes.

As a result, Spurs are now seventh in the table, a point behind Wolverhampton Wanderers, with only two games remaining.

With everything he has been through in the past week, the fact he even played against the Magpies shows real courage and determination.

Tottenham fans, has Serge Aurier gone up in your estimation for playing this week? Let us know down below!

West Ham United may finally get the chance to fill the void left behind by Marko Arnautovic this summer amid emerging links to a hugely prolific and exciting talisman.

What’s the word?

According to Corierre dello Sport, via Sport Witness, the Irons have begun putting the wheels in motion to try and secure Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata.

It is claimed that the Serie A outfit have so far rejected all advances for the 29-year-old following a €30m (£27m) plus Mattia Perin bid from Juventus alongside the Hammers’ approach.

They go on to suggest that a move for Zapata could prove too difficult whilst it remains unknown what sort of fee might tempt them into a sale.

Aranutovic successor?

Arnautovic left the London Stadium last summer, joining Chinese Super League side Shanghai SIPG for £22.4m, and no player is yet to step up into his mould having departed after an impressive 15-goal contribution season.

Sebastian Haller has struggled with the pace and the physicality of the Premier League – even despite scoring seven times this year, he doesn’t seem like the best fit for David Moyes.

Meanwhile, the likes of Manuel Lanzini, Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko have all failed to impress the Scottish boss, resulting in them reportedly being on the chopping block this transfer window.

It’s no wonder that Zapata is on the list of targets this summer as he can bring that brute force presence and pace that the Austrian provided to the Hammers.

The Colombian has provided 20 goals and six assists in all competitions for Atalanta, who have emerged as a rather exciting outfit, making the UCL knockout stages.

He’s also averaged 3.1 shots, 1.8 aerial duels won, 1.4 key passes and 0.8 dribbles per game whilst he’s even fouled 1.6 times each appearance too, via WhoScored.

Zapata’s skipper at the Nerazzurri, Papu Gomez, has described the prolific marksman as a “beast” and claimed that “when he is feeling good he’s like a train – you throw the ball forward and ‘ciao!”

Given his £32.4m valuation by Transfermarkt, it’ll take a lot for GSB to snatch him away from Italy, but if they can do so, then Moyes is going to get an Arnautovic-like weapon who could wreak havoc next season.

AND in other news, West Ham MUST sell this Slaven Bilic signing during the summer…

Tottenham Hotspur’s need for a new striker is evident, but there’s one name they simply must avoid at all costs…

What’s the word?

According to CliveTHBN, Stade Rennes forward M’Baye Niang is still of interest to the north Londoners and it’s not the first time he’s been linked with a move to Spurs.

Get French Football News cited a report from L’Equipe claiming that Jose Mourinho’s side had ‘positioned’ themselves to move for the 25-year-old, who has also held talks with former Lilywhite now Marseille boss Andre Villas-Boas.

Although they suggest that the playing time on offer is very limited, which could spell trouble if they were to try and land Niang.

Balotelli 2.0?

It appears as if Niang has finally found his feet at Rennes after bagging 15 goals from 36 appearances this season. However, that still shouldn’t entice Daniel Levy into a purchase.

Some in north London may recognise him from his time at Watford in 2016/17, though his performances for the Hornets were hardly inspiring having scored just twice throughout a season-long loan.

His off-the-pitch misdemeanours were the reason for him ending up in the English capital having originally been on the books at AC Milan.

The press labelled the £13.5m-rated man as Watford’s answer to Mario Balotelli after he received a suspended jail sentence for a car crash whilst on loan to Montpellier along with breaking curfew on international duty.

Whilst his playing style has also been likened to the former Liverpool striker too.

He may now appear to be on the straight and narrow in France, but the fact that Spurs can barely offer regular game time smells like a recipe for disaster.

They can’t afford to risk having someone upset the dressing room as there’s a lot of work to be done to turn the ship back on course.

Rennes reportedly want €20m (£18m) for his services, but that’s just too much of a gamble to take with such limited finances at Mourinho’s disposal.

AND in other news, Levy could end Spurs’ striker puzzle with £27m swoop

There are not many worse situations than being a club in dire need of a revamp and a squad refresh and not having any money to do anything about it. At West Ham United, things may not be as bad or as critical as that but David Moyes also knows this absolutely has to be a busy summer transfer window for the Hammers.

But you also can’t exactly say that the London outfit are ready to splash the cash because, as it currently seems, there is not that much cash to splash at all. For that reason, we just might see a departure or two first that would make the incoming transfers possible in the first place.

According to the latest report from The Times, West Ham are looking to offload Jack Wilshere in the ongoing window so that they can primarily ease the wage bill that is also one of the issues at the club.

The same source claims the former Arsenal man is on around £100k-a-week and still has one final year left on his contract. However, the Hammers are not willing to wait that long.

If no offer arrives and no one decides to take the player off their hands, they just might buy that last year out.

The Times also go on to state that West Ham are even contemplating selling him for less than £100,000 a week and then potentially making up the difference in wages until June 30 next year when his contract officially comes to an end.

That way, they could ensure someone indeed does go ahead with the sale.

One way or the other, however, Wilshere is on his way out of the club.

Verdict

West Ham are adamant on making changes and Wilshere could indeed be one of the first sacrifices made for the upcoming 2020/21 Premier League campaign.

Another tough season is ahead and these are the kind of choices that will either make or break the Hammers’ journey forward. Moyes is doing the right thing but will it actually pay off?

Leeds United have successfully secured their place in the Premier League for the upcoming 2020/21 season. However, with that jump from the Championship also meaning an increase in opposition quality, Marcelo Bielsa will be forced to improve the squad as much as possible.

For quite a while, the Whites were indeed linked with a move for Brentford’s Said Benrahma but the rumours have somewhat died down as of late.

Of course, other players such as Rodrigo De Paul have emerged as new targets but it is still surprising that Bielsa would not go for the forward straight away.

At least that’s what Darren Bent thinks about the whole situation. He spoke exclusively to Football Insider and made a couple of comments on Leeds’ reluctance to get Benrahma in as a potential Pablo Hernandez replacement.

Here’s what he had to say: “I honestly thought Benrahma would have been the one. I thought they would’ve got him signed up straight away but they haven’t done that yet, they haven’t managed to do it. It’s going to be interesting but I like what Leeds are doing in the transfer market.”

It seems that overall he is satisfied with what he’s seeing from Bielsa but the Benrahma case is still quite surprising to him. Of course, there’s still time in the window but with some signings already made and other priorities set, that chapter is likely closed already.

Verdict

If Leeds somehow manage to clinch De Paul’s signature, then, alongside the other signings, Bielsa’s team could still be ready to face the challenges of the Premier League.

Of course, we still don’t know if they are all set but no one can doubt the Argentine’s tactics nor his approach. A new season is almost underway and it really can’t come soon enough.

Let’s wait and see what other deals await Leeds on the market.

Sunderland manager Phil Parkinson has announced that Grant Leadbitter will continue as club captain for the new season.

Leadbitter began his career with the Black Cats before embarking on spells with Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough.

Returning to the Stadium of Light in January 2019, the 34-year-old made 14 League One appearances during the 2019/20 season but was handed a spell of compassionate leave in February due to personal reasons.

Now available for selection ahead of this weekend’s opening League One fixture against Bristol Rovers, the midfielder will be looking to add to his 533 career appearances.

With Parkinson looking ahead to the new season, the Sunderland boss has confirmed that Leadbitter will continue to be the club captain, whilst Max Power is team captain and Bailey Wright is vice-captain.

Speaking on the decision to keep Leadbitter as captain, Parkinson said: “Grant has returned to the group for pre-season and has been a massive plus for us.

“He has come back to the club in excellent condition and trained well, and he has also really helped the younger players within the group.

“He has the club at heart and is desperate to have an impact on the pitch, which I’m sure he will, and he will be an invaluable asset for us throughout the season.”

This piece of news comes after former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips predicted the sort of impact Leadbitter could have on his return to action this season.

Having lost Leadbitter to compassionate leave last term, fans of the Black Cats will likely be keen to see the midfielder return.

His leadership and experience could hand Parkinson a massive boost ahead of the new season, and with the likes of Power and Wright backing him up as leaders, the club could have some good figureheads to drive a hopeful promotion charge on the pitch.

Do you think Parkinson’s captain selections are merited? Let us know your views in the comments section below…

Just when you thought Everton’s day couldn’t get any better, the Toffees look set to make their latest major signing of this summer transfer window.

The Toffees sealed a comfortable victory over Brighton at Goodison Park on Saturday afternoon, taking them back to the top of the Premier League table for the time being.

And now, according to FootballFanCast sources, Carlo Ancelotti’s side are ready to welcome Norwich City defender Ben Godfrey to Merseyside, with a move for the 22-year-old all but done.

Indeed, our sources say that the centre-back has been spotted at the Toffees’ training complex at Finch Farm today, taking several photos ahead of the big online reveal.

The England U21 international was a key figure for the Canaries in the top-flight last season, and was one of the shining lights in a team that suffered relegation back to the Championship.

Godfrey made 33 appearances across all competitions, and had started the opening three Championship fixtures this time around, before being absent from the squad all together for Norwich’s defeat to Derby County earlier on Saturday.

Having been linked with numerous centre-backs in recent weeks, including Chelsea’s Fikayo Tomori, it looks like Everton have made Godfrey their latest high-profile signing to follow the likes of James Rodriguez, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Allan.

He certainly adds more competition in that area and will be battling against Yerry Mina, Mason Holgate and Michael Keane for a start.

What a few weeks it’s been for Toffees fans.

The summer transfer window may be shut but Glasgow Rangers should already be thinking about taking a gamble on Bongani Zungu.

What’s the word?

According to The Daily Record, Rangers will have to spend £2.7m to sign the 29-cap South Africa international if he makes a good impression at Ibrox. It has since been revealed that this was the fee agreed between by both clubs when the loanee joined Steven Gerrard’s side from Amiens just two hours before the end of deadline day.

Zungu’s contract with his parent club was set to expire at the end of the season, which would have enabled him to sign a pre-contract agreement with the Ibrox outfit in January but the 28-year-old signed a contract extension with Amiens which means the Gers will have to splash the cash if Gerrard is determined to get his man for good.

Worth the risk?

As far as Gerrard is concerned, the Gers may as well take a punt. He recently described Zungu as a “dominant” midfielder who “fits the profile of player that adds further strength and depth to our midfield” while Amiens official John Williams added “his skill level is very high. He is a hard worker and technically good. He can do everything.”

Zungu made 21 appearances in Ligue 1 last season, whilst he registered 1.3 tackles, at least 1 clearance and created 1 big chance per game, as per SofaScore, which implies he puts in a shift all over the pitch.

A look at his heatmaps last term shows that he is comfortable on the ball which is exactly what the Gers have been lacking for so long. They need someone who can provide a bit of flair, a little bit of the X-factor, and Zungu should be able to do precisely that.

Rangers have been crying out for a suitable option in the central midfield area. Even in the event that a transfer doesn’t work out as well as planned, his sell-on value would not be expected to plummet too drastically between now and the start of the summer transfer window. So, the midfield workhorse is surely worth taking a risk on.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers have uncovered hidden gem in Leon Balogun…

Liverpool restored their winning form after edging out Sheffield United in a 2-1 win at Anfield on Saturday. The Reds put in an inspired performance off the back of their Ajax victory and gave themselves a huge boost in getting back on track in the Premier League.

With Naby Keita and Thiago injured and Fabinho now the club’s new centre-back, Jurgen Klopp was forced to change things up slightly. New boy Diogo Jota started the match, completing a newly formed front four that the manager may be tempted to deploy for the rest of the season.

Roberto Firmino played a deeper role to his usual No.9 position, with Mohamed Salah becoming the focus of the strike force. Sure enough, the Reds managed to bank all three points, with goals from the unlikely sealing the deal.

Klopp could be onto something

It was Jota and Firmino who were on song for Liverpool last night. The new recruit filled Salah’s usual role on the right and Firmino was given a more creative role, which clearly suits him. The Brazilian has attracted a lot of criticism for his quiet performances in attack, but those were clearly only being judged at face value.

Whilst the 29-year-old has just one goal in eight appearances so far this season, his work ethic is more than meets the eye. Operating as a playmaker rather than the team’s focal point in attack should be the way Klopp chooses to select his lineups from now on. Salah boasts the natural predator’s instinct in front of goal, whilst Firmino quietly carves open defences and sets up the play that leads to the goal.

With Jota adjusting to a new role on the right too, this could already have the legs to be a winning formula for the reigning champions. Fans certainly seem to think so and are excited to see more of this new formation. The support of Jordan Henderson just behind the front four will help create chances but also protect the defence, which is what the Reds skipper does very well.

Salah’s central role also gives him the chance to free roam in front of goal, which leaves space for Firmino to drive forwards if he so wishes. Something that proved to be successful against Sheffield United, with the Brazilian bagging his first goal of the season.

Liverpool are keen to keep hold of the Premier League title and this new found formation could play a huge part in their quest to do so.

In other news, Michael Edwards may have started something exciting with Harvey Elliott loan move…