Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Samuel Meade

Erik ten Hag still needs to solve Man Utd's glaring problem despite Marcus Rashford form

Manchester United 's prowess in front of goal is being topped by a host of their rivals, according to the stats.

The Red Devils, who currently sit in third, have scored 41 times this term in the league. A chunk of their goals have come from Marcus Rashford, who has been in blistering form since the World Cup, scoring 14 times - 25 in all competitions - as he broke club records during his purple patch.

Despite his red hot form though, United find themselves converting fewer chances than many of the sides around them. The Times released figures that show Erik ten Hag's side having 356 shots to score their 41 goals - meaning they have a 11.52 per cent shot conversion rate.

The likes of Fulham and Brighton sit above them, as do the title-chasing duo of Manchester City and Arsenal. The defending champions have a success rate of 15.35 - the second best in the league - whilst the Gunners have a 13.66 success rate.

Brentford, who won again on Monday night as they beat Fulham, are eyeing a spot in Europe and are the most productive team in front of goal, converting 15.61 of their shots.

Ten Hag, whose side are also behind Tottenham and Leicester in the shot conversion table, leaving them eighth, has previously bemoaned his team's inability to take their chances in front of goal. United by no means lack for quality in the final third, but have failed to make their dominance count in games.

Have your say! Will Man Utd win anymore silverware this season? Let us know your prediction in the comments section.

After a 2-2 draw against Barcelona in the Europa League, the Dutchman said: "So, the criticism is (be) more clinical, finish chances and that is what we didn't do. Because in such a game, we created many chances.

"You can't expect actually but we did. Then it's a little bit disappointment that you didn't score them. And I think we should have scored minimum four goals tonight."

Alejandro Garnacho, who has enjoyed a breakout season, is among those to be singled out for criticism when it comes to taking his chances. The Argentine previously fluffed his lines in front of goal and it led to some pointed comments from his boss.

Ten Hag said: "As a Man Utd player, we expect you to have an impact to influence the score, to influence the result, to positively influence the game by scoring goals and having an assist. All the players have to be brave – if it’s in the interests of the team.

"That is what he is doing quite well because he is taking players on and he is outplaying them, he is creating chances – [but] on [Wednesday] he should have scored.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.