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Why do Manchester United use garlic on the Old Trafford pitch?

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James Cooper reports from Old Trafford on a unique way Manchester United are getting the pitch ready for their game against Liverpool.

You may have heard of using tea bags to enhance your skin, or baking soda to clean the carpet, but what about garlic to improve a football pitch?

That is what Manchester United have been using on the Old Trafford turf ahead of the derby against Liverpool, live on Sky Sports Premier League on Sunday.

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The root vegetable helps keep parasites from damaging the roots and United, along with a number of other Premier League clubs, have been using the technique once a week for the last five years.

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It is used sporadically but kicks up quite a stink inside the stadium and can be smelled from half a mile away in a prevailing wind, but it is not expected to linger when Jurgen Klopp's team arrive at the weekend.

The Old Trafford pitch has improved from one of the poorest to the best pitches around in the last decade.

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And it will play host to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first test against United's Merseyside rivals, live on Super Sunday this weekend.

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