Glastonbury 2014: Metallica say they might open headline set with Oasis' 'Wonderwall'

Lars Ulrich joked that covering the song would hit back at the band's critics

Metallica are Paddy Power's joint 5/4 favourites with Prince to headline Glastonbury Festival in June (Getty Images)

Metallica look set to repeat Jay Z’s past gag and open their Glastonbury headline slot with a cover of Oasis’ “Wonderwall”, following a backlash suggesting they are not right for the festival.

The US heavy metal band’s booking has sparked mixed responses from fans and musicians, with many questioning whether the “Enter Sandman” group will appeal to the “hippy” crowd.

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In response, drummer Lars Ulrich has joked that Metallica will follow the rapper’s defiant lead. Jay Z performed “Wonderwall” as the first song in his 2008 set to hit back at negative comments made by Noel Gallagher.

“Jay Z came out and played “Wonderwall”, right?” Ulrich told the Guardian. “So maybe we gotta go out and do our rendition of “Wonderwall”. We’ll start with “Wonderwall” and we’ll take it from there.

“Listen, you’ve just gotta go out and be yourself and be proud of what you’re doing.”

Ulrich went on to say that Glastonbury will be a “straight-up Metallica setlist”, written about 15 to 30 minutes before they go onstage “depending on what the mood is in the camp”.

Metallica will be joined on the Glastonbury line-up by fellow headliners Arcade Fire and Kasabian, the latter of whom have praised organiser Michael Eavis’ “bold” booking decision.

British metal band Judas Priest hit out at Eavis’ booking of an American act over them, with frontman Rob Halford admitting to a “diva moment”.

“I love that (Eavis) is bringing metal to Glastonbury but I did say next time he wants to bring metal to Glastonbury, can you make sure it’s British?” he told NME.

Last week, Metallica's self-titled 1991 album became the first in more than two decades to shift more than 16 million copies in the US.