THE SHARPE END: Erik ten Hag is no idiot, he can see Manchester United are struggling in front of goal – but the issue isn’t the number of shots they’re taking
- The Red Devils have scored just five goals in their five Premier League matches
- Hojlund returns to full fitness, while Zirkzee finds his feet at the club
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Erik ten Hag, whatever you think of his management, is not an idiot. He sees the problem. “We don’t score enough goals,” he said this week. That’s the key area.’ He’s right, of course.
Manchester United have scored five league goals this season. Five. Before this weekend, only three Premier League teams had scored fewer goals.
That’s why they’re in the bottom half and that’s what happens when you don’t have a top striker.
Due to Rasmus Hojlund’s injury, Bruno Fernandes started the season at the front. He is not a centre-forward.
Joshua Zirkzee always gets hooked early. He and Hojlund need time, says Ten Hag. Ten Hag will not be blessed with that, having spent over £600 million. He needs the tide to turn. United create chances, but there is no one who can finish them.
Erik ten Hag knows that his team is having a hard time in front of goal in the first weeks of the season
The Red Devils have scored just five goals in their five Premier League matches this season
Joshua Zirkzee is still finding his feet at the club after his summer transfer from Bologna
Shots are not the problem for United
Only four teams had more shots on target than United through the first five games… yet only four teams had worse shot conversion than Ten Hag’s side.
Only Man City (11.5) and Liverpool scored a 5.8. With higher expected goals (xG) through the first five games (9.6) than United, but only scoring five times, only Saints underperformed their xG more.
Only four teams had more shots on target than Manchester United in their first five games
United are among the worst converters in the league
Three of the six players who are the worst at converting their chances this season are United strikers.
Bruno Fernandes, Joshua Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho are among the league’s worst sot converters
Bruno Fernandes has attempted 17 shots without scoring so far this season, the most of any player in the division
Compare that to Erling Haaland, the PL’s top scorer and the best striker in the world. who has already scored 10 goals this season from an xG of 5.8. In his first PL campaign he made 36 from an xG of 28.6. That’s what top strikers do and what United’s frontmen don’t do
Bruno Fernandes has attempted 17 shots without scoring so far this season, the most of any player in the division. It helps if Fernandes can find the target with his scattergun shooting.
United have kept four clean sheets in their last six PL games, more than in their previous 24 games combined. The defense is there, they just need someone to be ruthless in front of goal.