Manchester United season ticket holders will be forced to pay more for their seats next season, with reports claiming the measures were put in place before Sir Jim Ratcliffe's stake in the club was confirmed.
Majority owners the Glazer family have been unpopular with sections of the fanbase, some of whom have welcomed the arrival of British billionaire Ratcliffe. However, while future decisions are expected to be made with the input of the new investor, the Old Trafford plans are understood to predate his arrival.
Results have picked up of late for United, who beat West Ham at Old Trafford on Sunday. It followed a dramatic midweek victory away to Wolves, ensuring back-to-back league wins for Erik ten Hag's side for the first time since November.
The relationship between the Glazers and some fans hasn't been the best even when results were altogether more impressive last season, though. Now, a rise of five per cent across the board on season ticket prices are unlikely to improve that situation.
Not only will fans have to pay more next season, a second successive annual increase, but some will be moved to new seats. According to The Mail, those in the Sir Bobby Charlton stand are due to be relocated to accommodate the families of players.
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Those in corporate seats will also face higher bills, with some forced to fork out an extra £500 per year. According to communication from United, the changes are designed to ensure the club "operates on a sustainable basis and to support investment in the team and stadium".
United have regularly enjoyed attendances north of 70,000 this season, even with the club struggling in Europe and spending the entire league season outside the Champions League spots. Indeed, Sunday's match against West Ham represented their highest attendance of the campaign at 73,612.
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Manchester United recorded their biggest home win of the season against West Ham on Sunday (Javier Garcia/REX/Shutterstock)On the field, the late midweek drama at Wolves was followed by an altogether more comfortable win at Old Trafford on Sunday. Rasmus Hojlund opened the scoring, getting among the goals for the fourth straight game, and Alejandro Garnacho struck twice in the second half after West Ham spurned chances to draw level.
Ten Hag insisted he wouldn't be over-celebrating after his team's biggest home win of the season, but pointed to some of the positives. "For today, we are pleased with it, but you need routines to get consistent performances," he said.
"So, you have to make decisions. You have to make decisions in a split second. And when every time you have to swap your team, you have to swap your centre-halves, you have to swap your back four, positioning the right full-back to the left full-back and then swap back again.
"All those adjustments, all those are rules and principles who they know. It's about looking at each other, taking the right decisions. Top football is about details, and when one detail doesn't work, and you concede goals, and then you're following the facts and we had that too much this season."
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