Reason why Man Utd sprayed GARLIC on the grounds of Old Trafford before the shock of Liverpool

Manchester United have covered his field with GARLIC before his inevitable clash with Liverpool this weekend.

Ground staff was in force Friday to water Old Trafford turf with the root vegetable, thus ensuring the grass a distinctly strange pong for Sunday.

And although it seems that United deploys this rather bizarre tactic to give them an advantage over Liverpool, this is not the case.

The reason for coating tar with garlic is to protect the grass from the pests.

This technique has in fact been used by several English high flying clubs this season looking to keep their pitch at their best.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer received a boost in anticipation of Liverpool's visit as Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial returned to the match.

"I hope that Anthony will be ready and I hope Jesse will be too because they are two different wounds," Solskjaer told MUTV.

"So maybe more hope than thinking, with Anthony too, but he has a chance … Anyway, we still hope Jesse can be ready.

"We still have a few days of training and they have to be part of it."