Man Utd are still struggling despite Luton win | Football Digest
Manchester United’s misfiring forwards Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford and Antony are lagging well behind their Premier League rivals when it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net. The Red Devils have only scored 13 league goals in 12 matches this season, making them the least prolific team in the division’s top half.
Even the likes of Everton and Nottingham Forest have scored more goals than United, who have endured a torrid start to the campaign despite spending heavily over the summer. They splashed £72milllion to bring Hojlund to Old Trafford but the Dane is yet to open his account in the Premier League despite making a total of nine appearances.
Hojlund, Rashford and Antony have scored just once between them so far this season, a meagre return which is dwarfed by those of United’s ‘big six’ rivals. For example, Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez and Phil Foden have managed a combined total of 20 goals for Manchester City, while Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez are on 18 goals between them at Liverpool.
Chelsea trio Raheem Sterling, Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer have scored 14 goals in total, putting them on level terms with Tottenham forwards Son Heung-min, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski. Arsenal’s attacking trident has also been considerably better than United’s, with Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah having managed a combined total of 10 goals.
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Erik ten Hag will be desperately hoping for United’s fortunes to improve as quickly as possible, with their lack of bite in front of goal threatening to wreck their hopes of finishing in the Premier League’s top four. They only just scraped past Luton Town at home last weekend thanks to a rare goal from Victor Lindelof, with Hojlund and Rashford both missing big chances to score themselves.
It remains to be seen if the Red Devils will hit their stride after the international break, when they will face a number of stern tests both domestically and in Europe. Their next task will be a trip to Everton on November 26 before facing Galatasaray in a crunch Champions League clash three days later.
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United will then go up against Newcastle, who beat them in the Carabao Cup earlier this season, on December 2 before hosting Chelsea at Old Trafford on December 6. It will be crucial for them to start producing the goods up front in order to relieve the growing pressure on Ten Hag’s shoulders, with the Dutchman having already urged his players to be more clinical in attack.
“We could have made life more easy if you score goals but we create many chances,” he said after United’s narrow victory over Luton. “First half, I observed four 100 per cent chances. If you get the first then you get the second, it becomes more easy, but if you don’t score then you know they can always drop a ball in the box and you are in trouble.
“I don’t think it is particularly a confidence thing because Rasmus Hojlund scored five goals in the Champions League. He came full of confidence into this game and it will come. Rashford scored 30 goals last season. Obviously he’s now not scoring but there will come a day he starts scoring again.”
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