Manchester United sends groundsman to China

Manchester United groundscrew

Manchester United groundsman, Dave Lindop, has been instructed to fly ahead to inspect the pitch at the Hongkou stadium for its friendly against Tottenham Hotspurs.

Local weather stations have predicted thunderstorms to hit the venue in Shanghai later this week.

It is rainy season in Shanghai, and United are cautious about the quality of the pitch. Three years ago a pre-season fixture against rivals Manchester City had to be postponed as heavy rainfall meant the pitch at the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing was unplayable.

Later on, in the same tour, the side also had to endure a poor pitch at the Shanghai Stadium for a fixture against Borussia Dortmund.

As touring China is important for United’ commercial activities, abandoning or ignoring the trip is not considered being an option. It has been reported that ground staff at the club have visited the ground up to four times since November to ensure the pitch will be in good condition.

 

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