Luton Town’s latest win over Brighton & Hove Albion has ended up emphasising the problems at Manchester United this season, a failure to score enough goals.
Manchester United are cut adrift from the Champions League places with sides in and around these four spots continuing to win to open the gap between themselves and the Red Devils.
Following the success of Erik ten Hag’s first season at the helm, which included a Carabao Cup trophy, Champions League football and a fit and firing Marcus Rashford, this current campaign was meant to be one of progression.
However, it has been far from progress with the Red Devils sat in 9th place, out of nearly all cup competitions and there have been disciplinary issues with multiple players, including Rashford.
United’s big issue
Rob Edwards’ Luton Town put the nail in the coffin for some United fans with their 4-0 victory over Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton & Hove Albion meaning the relegation-threatened London side have now netted more often than the Red Devils.
Goals this season:
- Luton Town: 26
- Manchester United: 24
United’s goalscoring struggles have been well documented this season with Rasmus Hojlund scoring two Premier League goals, Anthony Martial currently out injured and Rashford who himself has netted just four league goals this campaign.
Last season, the issues were also there but because of Rashford’s form and how solid the defence looked, these issues were not major and a few tweaks could have solved it.
However, due to the defensive problems, which have allowed teams to score cut-back goals in particular at will, United now have problems both ways which means it has become a disaster.
How can United solve the goalscoring problem
Antony has received the brunt of the criticism this campaign as his goal and assist against Newport County were his first of the season.
However, the Brazilian is not the only reason the Red Devils are not scoring goals with the structure of the club’s attack meaning that goals are hard to come by.
Progressive passes, without Lisandro Martinez, have been something that United have lacked which means the ball between the lines to Bruno Fernandes, the Red Devils’ primary creator, have not been coming with the Portuguese star receiving just 107 progressive passes compared to 231 last season, according to FBREF.
It’s not as simple to say that Martinez’s return could help United in attack but the Argentine offers something on the ball that the Red Devils have lacked.
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