The slope around the touchlines at Old Trafford was treated as a quirky feature of the stadium since the pitch was elevated in the 1990s – but that is set to change after years of scrutiny and complaints regarding the welfare of Manchester United players.
Although Manchester United will have a new stadium developed in the coming years, the club are still willing to make improvements to Old Trafford for the benefit of the team and fans.
United will be looking to make Old Trafford a fortress again next season when they return to the big time, after securing Champions League qualification by finishing third in the Premier League.
Throughout the off-season, Old Trafford will be undergoing modifications with the ultimate aim of protecting players from preventable impact injuries.
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Man Utd to address slope issue and re-lay Old Trafford surface
At a Fans’ Forum in October, a member raised an issue with the club over the slope at Old Trafford, risking the health and welfare of all players.
This was later proven to be problematic in the latter stages of the 2025/26 campaign when Benjamin Sesko aggravated a shin injury in a win over Liverpool when Ibrahim Konate sent him off the slope and into the advertising boards.
United have made progress to protect their stars by installing a protective layer over the brickwork surrounding the pitch at Old Trafford.
This is a much-needed improvement, considering the risk it presents to the players we rely on to perform throughout a season.
Moreover, it won’t be the only modification made at the stadium over the summer, with the pitch being re-laid for the first time in 14 years ahead of the new campaign.
United confirmed on Wednesday that ‘the grass is being extended to provide a consistent surface at pitch side, and a layer of protection is being added to the brickwork at the foot of Old Trafford’s famous slope’, as per a Daily Mail report.
On top of that, the Old Trafford pitch will be getting a new drainage system. They will also spread garlic to kill parasites destroying the grass.
The report adds that the re-laid surface has been made up of 96% natural grass and 4% artificial fibres.
This needs to happen at more football grounds with slopes or concrete barriers, especially after the tragic death of former Arsenal youth player Billy Vigar (21), who reportedly sustained a fatal head injury after colliding with a concrete wall while playing for Chichester City at Wingate and Finchley FC in 2025.
It also highlights the good that can come from United’s Fans’ Forum.
- ⚡️ NEWS IN BRIEF
- Manchester United are making modifications to Old Trafford ahead of the 2026/27 season
- That includes making adjustments to the concrete area at the bottom of the slope that surrounds the pitch at Old Trafford
- United are also re-laying the pitch for the first time in 14 years
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Angel Di Maria was sent down Old Trafford slope
This may sound like it’s going to read like a summary of Angel Di Maria’s time at United, but the incident with Ashley Young occurred when he returned to the club with Paris Saint-Germain in 2019.
When many United fans think of players crashing into the concrete that surrounds the Old Trafford pitch, Di Maria will jump to mind.
The former United winger was nudged off the ball by Young before being sent flying down the slope, smashing into the concrete.
It’s fair to say Di Maria didn’t have his greatest moments at Old Trafford.
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