Soccer

Erik ten Hag wants more killer instinct from Manchester United forwards

United have only managed five goals so far this season in the Premier League

Erik ten Hag with Joshua Zirkzee, one of four United attackers to have scored one goal in the league this season. Photograph: Darren Staples/AFP/Getty Images
Erik ten Hag with Joshua Zirkzee, one of four United attackers to have scored one goal in the league this season. Photograph: Darren Staples/AFP/Getty Images
Jamie Jackson
Tue Sept 24 2024 - 12:57

Erik ten Hag has admitted Manchester United need to “kill in the box” after scoring only five goals so far in the Premier League this season, leaving them with a goal difference of zero.

Last season, United managed 57 goals in the competition, conceding 58. On Saturday, United failed to score again, drawing 0-0 at Crystal Palace despite dominating possession (67 per cent to 33 per cent) and producing 15 shots on goal, six of which were on target.

Of Ten Hag’s attackers, Joshua Zirkzee, Marcus Rashford, Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho have all scored once this season, with the newly-acquired defender Matthijs de Ligt registering United’s other league goal.

The manager was asked if he is concerned United’s attack will again fail this season. “Concerned? We create a lot of chances in the first games of the season,” said Ten Hag. “Last week we scored seven against Barnsley [in the Carabao Cup], we are capable of scoring many goals, but it’s a part of the game we have to improve and kill in the box.”

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Ten Hag was asked if his forwards need to sharpen their mental approach. “There are different aspects to this,” said the 54-year-old. “Most important is that you create chances and we create a lot of good moments, we are very creative, we have many opportunities to score goals, keep this process going and [work on] finishing.”

United host Twente on Wednesday in their opening Europa League game in the new expanded 32-team format. Ten Hag was asked if the tournament has added importance as the winners qualify for the Champions League. “Yes – I think it’s an opportunity, there are more roads to achieve the targets you want and this is definitely also a road,” he said. “It’s the most difficult [to do so], probably, in a tournament of 32. You have to be the best but it’s a target, it’s a road we want to go.

United could play 17 matches en route to reaching the final in Bilbao on May 21st. While Ten Hag is open-minded in regards to the new format, he is concerned about the extra load it will put on players. “There are too many games, too many competitions, it’s clear,” the Dutchman said. “The players are overloaded, this is not good for football. Maybe it’s good for commercial [imperatives]. There is a limit, it is unavoidable.”

Luke Shaw may return from injury before next month’s international break. “Probably but not 100 per cent sure,” Ten Hag said. “It can be shortly after the break [too].” – Guardian