Off to a stinker! Man Utd ground staff spray pitch with GARLIC to get rid of worms

Posted Monday, September 08, 2014 by Dailystar.co.uk

MANCHESTER UNITED stars are facing an unusual problem at home with the Old Trafford pitch stinking of garlic in an attempt curb an infestation of worms.

The likes of Wayne Rooney, Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao will be holding their nose next weekend after ground staff reportedly sprayed the potent liquid all over the famous pitch.

United, who spent a record £149m in the summer transfer window, will be hoping to overcome the smell quickly with new manager Louis van Gaal looking for his first Premier League win.

Staff hope to sort the problem out before the side plays Queens Park Rangers next Sunday at the 75,000-seat Theatre of Dreams.

The culprits – parasitic nematodes, or more commonly, roundworms – thrive in the pitch’s loose sand base.

As there is no legal pesticide to kill them, groundkeepers typically turn to liquid garlic sprays or chilli powder.

Off to a stinker! Man Utd ground staff spray pitch with GARLIC to get rid of worms
The players can smell the garlic on the pitch – they were joking we must have a vampire problem.”

A source said: “The players can smell the garlic on the pitch – they were joking we must have a vampire problem.

"The groundsmen have laid it on really thick.”

The Red Devils are not the first club to use garlic to ward off warms.

United’s bitter rivals Manchester City also had to use garlic in recent seasons to improve the pitch at the Etihad Stadium.

Groundkeepers took a similar approach to curb the maggots at Murrayfield before Scotland hosted England in the Six Nations rugby earlier this year.

A turf guru said of Murrayfield’s garlicky approach in February: “It doesn’t kill them, but it does p*** them off enough to send them deeper into the soil.”

Manchester Utd has been approached for comment.