Ole Gunnar Solskjær believes the 19 Premier League goals scored by his forwards Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Edinson Cavani and Mason Greenwood is too low but that Manchester United will have an extra edge for the closing phase of the season if this can be improved.
The midfielder Bruno Fernandes is the side’s highest scorer in the league, with 14, followed by Rashford’s eight. Yet the manager was optimistic as he noted that United’s 50 goals led the division by four before Manchester City’s game in hand at Everton on Wednesday.
“We are the team that’s scored the most in the league and you’re right that our centre-forwards or forwards haven’t scored as much as we’d like to,” Solskjær said. “But for me that’s a big positive. We’re now into the final stretch of the season; if we can get them firing again that will give us another edge in the games.
“We’re working hard and they’ve got the class and quality. And that means we’ve had goals from other places and positions, which is an improvement from last season. [If we] can marry these two bits together plus defend a bit better then we can be successful this season.”
On Tuesday, Greenwood signed a new contract to 2025. After scoring 17 goals last season, a joint-record for a United teenager, he has one league goal and a total of four this season “I’m working hard with all the coaches so hopefully I’ll be back there [to last season’s form] soon,” Greenwood said.
The 19-year-old operates mainly on the right but Solskjær said: “Mason can play No 10 as well as a shadow striker, he can play centre-forward and at a stretch maybe on the left.”
United travel to Turin to play Real Sociedad in Thursday’s Europa League last-32 opening leg because of Spain’s Covid restrictions. “When the draw was made probably the hardest you could pick from our unseeded group,” said Solskjær.
Cavani and Donny van de Beek are out with muscle problems, while Paul Pogba is still unavailable due to a thigh injury and is unlikely to play again in February.
