Cracked DE Filter Manifold

Yesterday while replacing my DE filter grids, I noticed that the under side of the manifold was cracked. Would a cracked manifold affect how much debris is trapped in the grids?

Last season, I had issues where debris was not being completely filtered. It would re-enter the pool via the returns. I inspected the grids and found a few with holes and others that were not rigid any longer. Thus, I replaced the grids for the start of this year hoping to improve my filtration. Then, I noticed the cracked manifold during install yesterday.

On the bright side, I successfully opened my pool with clear water. I am pretty happy considering this will be only my 2nd season as a pool owner.