Manchester United’s flight to Newcastle on Saturday has been cancelled because of the cold weather.
The Red Devils travel to the Magpies for a crucial clash in
the Premier League. They are looking to bounce back from a draw with
Galatasaray in midweek, which has left their hopes of progressing to the
knockout stages of the Champions League hanging by a thread.
But before they take to the pitch at St James' Park, Ten
Hag's squad face an arduous journey on two coaches, that is expected to take
more than three hours. The team had arrived to drop their cars off at
Manchester Airport from 10.00am, but were told they were instead driving to the
North East.
Temperatures in Manchester dipped below -5 degrees Celsius
overnight, with the Met Office issuing another yellow warning for snow and ice
on Saturday morning. Nine football matches in the Scottish leagues have been
postponed due to the freezing temperatures, with Crewe's FA Cup clash against
Bristol Rovers and the full racing schedule at Newcastle also called off.
An amber cold-health alert has also been issued by the UK
Health Security Agency for five regions in England. The alert is in place for
the East Midlands, West Midlands, North West, North East and Yorkshire and the
Humber until 5 December, with cold weather is likely to affect the whole health
service, according to the agency.
Boss Ten Hag is desperate for his side to claim a positive
result on Saturday, with a win able to take them into fifth place. The Magpies
won the corresponding fixture last season, with the United boss cautioning his
side to expect a tough test.