The problems continue for Manchester United both on and off the pitch, with an off the pitch issue of a rodent infestation making the headlines this time around.
Ruben Amorim is struggling to get his team playing the type of football he is known for, while also trying to put together a team that he wants. This has led to a media debacle involving the club’s highest-paid player, Marcus Rashford, and some accusations levelled against Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho.
Off the pitch, INEOS are desperately working to reduce operational costs, leading to mass firings, pay cuts and bonus deletions from the remunerations of backroom staff. The latest news about rodent dropping being found at the club’s grounds – excluding the kitchen – is certain to bring about more firings.
Reports claim that environmental safety inspectors from the Manchester City council visited the club’s grounds and found mouse poo. As a result, they downgraded the club’s food hygiene rating from a four to a two, which means that they will continue to receive these visits for as long as the inspectors deem it fit.
As stated earlier, the droppings were not found near the kitchens or food storage and prep sites on the club grounds. However, those areas will be the most scrutinised going forward because of the danger of the spread of disease through food. More than 250,000 people are believed to dine at the stadium’s restaurants every season, with 29 kitchens serving the fans, the staff, the executives, the players and the academy kids.
The club have claimed that they had employed the services of pest control outfits prior to the visit that lost them two hygiene points and that these outfits checked the grounds weekly to ensure that they were safe from rodents.
“Manchester United implements a robust pest-control system throughout Old Trafford,” a club spokesperson said. “Multiple weekly checks are made in all catering areas and stringent measures are taken to ensure levels of hygiene and cleanliness are high wherever food is stored, prepared and served. If incidences of this nature do occur at the stadium, immediate and appropriate action is taken.”
A spokesperson for Trafford Council said: “Our environmental health officers gave a food hygiene rating of two following a routine visit. We are now working closely with Manchester United to ensure it complies with the rating and carries out the necessary improvements.”
Meanwhile, United will be travelling to the Molineux for their Boxing Day fixture in the Premier League where they hope to be able to secure much needed three points against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
