United in training last week

Why Manchester United have built a new training wall on Carrington pitches

by · Manchester Evening News

Manchester United have erected a new wall at their Carrington training complex to preserve privacy for the men's first team.

A wall has been erected that separates the men's training pitches and the women's training pitches. United have relocated to a different training pitch nearer the academy building while the main building is under construction.

Training sessions at weekends often take place with members of the public on site to watch academy games involving age groups from the under-13s to under-18s.

United manager Erik ten Hag has sought greater privacy away from prying eyes amid final tactical preparations before Sunday matches.

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Due to United's participation in the Europa League, they are guaranteed to play at least eight Premier League matches on Sundays before February. The team always trains the day before a game.

Ten Hag lobbied for screens to shield United's tactical formation sessions so that no sensitive information could be passed on.

United sources say they have replicated the larger green screens that surround the usual men's first-team pitches, which are located by the Jimmy Murphy Centre.

There had been suggestions that the women's team's sessions were a distraction and contributed to the addition of the wall, but club sources have denied that is the case.

Additional protection from the wind is another factor. Former United manager Louis van Gaal expressed his concern that the Carrington training pitches were too exposed to the wind and ordered trees to be planted around the first-team's training pitch.