Parts of Old Trafford leak and flood as Manchester United’s problems laid bare in defeat

Torrential rain caused Old Trafford’s infamous roof to leak while other parts of the stadium were flooded after Manchester United’s defeat to Arsenal.

The heavens opened towards the end of the Premier League clash, which the Gunners won 1-0 thanks to Leandro Trossard’s first-half goal.

Thunder rumbled across United’s iconic home as the game drew nearer, with the storm showing no sign of letting up so much so that a barrage of water was seen pouring from the roof into one corner of the East Stand under the sky dark from Manchester.

It could also be seen falling, and video footage from talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, as well as other journalists present, showed water making its way inside the stadium.

Pipes located near the Old Trafford tunnel had rainwater flowing out of them and onto the floor.

It could be seen flowing down the slope entrance to the field and forming at the opening into a large puddle.

Back in the East Stand, a stream of water was falling on some of the seats and down the steps of the stand.

The resulting mud was later seen covered with large puddles on the surface.

The conditions certainly further highlight the work that is desperately needed at Old Trafford, the club’s home of 114 years.

New minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has committed to spending an initial £237 million on infrastructure at the 74,310-capacity ground.

However, regeneration plans could see them knock the stadium down, with Ratcliffe eyeing a £2billion ‘Wembley of the North’.

Ratcliffe met Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer on Sunday to discuss the redevelopment project.

The PA news agency reports that Starmer attended the match as a guest of Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who is a member of the taskforce exploring options to revitalize United’s home ground.

Burnham was also present for pre-launch talks, along with Lord Coe, chairman of the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force.

The task force, which also includes former United captain Gary Neville, met for the first time last month, with Ratcliffe looking to build a world-class stadium by either redeveloping Old Trafford or building a new ground on the adjacent ground owned by the club in Premier League. .

The stadium is the focal point of the project, which aims to regenerate the wider Trafford Park area.

Discussions with Arsenal fan Starmer are understood to have been part of ongoing engagement with political leaders at local, regional and national level as options for the project are explored.

With the redevelopment of the existing site costing around £1 billion and the construction of a new stadium requiring a total outlay of £2 billion, the task force will also look at funding options for the project .

The weather on Sunday did well to encapsulate the current feeling around United, who slumped to their 14th league defeat of the season.

A response was needed following their dismal 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, but Erik ten Hag’s side failed to provide it.

With two Championship games against Newcastle and Brighton left to play, they could be set to miss out on European football next season.

United are eighth and three points behind Chelsea, who have a better goal difference of +16.