The goal return from Manchester United’s current slate of attackers is pitiful
Manchester United are reportedly lining up a £16m striker in January to help solve their goal-scoring woes.
United were beaten 2-0 by West Ham at London Stadium, this afternoon, to go scoreless in the Premier League for the fourth successive time, the first time this has happened since 1992.
Meanwhile, their total of 13 defeats in all competitions this season, is their worst since 1930, when they finished bottom of the league standings and were relegated.
The floundering club are setting all sorts of brutal records, this season, but Erik ten Hag insisted his side looked good against the Hammers, for 72 minutes. He told the BBC: “In 2023, we won a cup, we played the FA Cup final, we were third in the league. There were highlights but we [were] over-performing. In this moment we are underperforming.
“There are reasons for it, we have many injuries, so the team will be better if the injured ones return. We have to be calm, stick together, stick to the plan, we have to do it together.”
In the first hour of today’s match, the best chance of the game fell to Alejandro Garnacho but he fluffed his one-on-one straight at Alphonse Areola. Rasmus Hojlund failed to have a shot on target, in his 14th Premier League game without a goal, and was replaced by Marcus Rashford after 55 minutes.
The plan must have been for United to have Rashford and Hojlund in a front three for United, this season, but ten Hag has lost faith in that notion. His current go-to men on the wing are Garnacho and the woefully under-performing Antony.
United defender Luke Shaw was asked about United’s failure to score enough goals this season [they have scored 18 times in 18 Premier League games]. He told TNT Sports: “It’s tough to think what’s going on.
“I think maybe we’re just not creating enough and when we do on the other hand we’re not clinical. Maybe it could be a lack of confidence at the moment, sometimes that’s normal in football, it happens.”
United supporters searching for any crumbs of comfort will have paid close attention to a report in The Sun about a possible January incoming.
On the hottest scoring streak of his career, to date, Stuttgart forward Serhou Guirassy had been linked with United but, according to The Daily Mail, would prefer a move to Tottenham. United are not set to spend big in January so are targeting sub £30m options and, preferably, loan deals with a view to permanent deals.
Youssef En-Nesyri is an international teammate to Sofyan Armrabat and has 17 goals for Morocco. He is into his fifth season with Sevilla and has helped the Spanish club to two Europa League trophies. He is not the most prolific of strikers, scoring nine times in 24 games this season. Perhaps this is why United could pick him up for around £16m (€20m) in January, according to The Sun.
En-Nesyri is expected to feature against Atletico Madrid in La Liga, this weekend, with United reportedly sending a scout to have him watched.
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