Ruben Amorim admits to ‘concern’ over Man United’s goalscoring issues with clear message sent to Marcus Rashford
Ruben Amorim admits to ‘concern’ over Man United’s goalscoring issues with clear message sent to Marcus Rashford
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has admitted that the club’s goalscoring problems this season are “a concern”.
The Red Devils have only found the back of the net on 13 occasions in their 12 Premier League matches this season, while their senior strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have only managed two league goals between them in 20 matches, and Marcus Rashford has just two in 12 top-flight outings.
Rashford started through the middle against Ipswich Town on Sunday, and the Englishman scored the opening goal of the Amorim era in the early stage, but he then struggled until being replaced in the 68th minute.
Amorim admitted that playing through the middle “is not the best” for Rashford, but the Portuguese is confident that the likes of Hojlund, Zirkzee, Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes will add more goals in the coming months.
“I will try to help him [Rashford]. That position is not the best one for him, especially in a game like that. We have to kick with high pressure, we have to kick the ball so many times and it was like fighting with two giants,” the manager told reporters during his press conference to preview Thursday’s Europa League clash with Bodo/Glimt.
“We’ll try to find the right solution for him, as for the other players. But he has to be Marcus, first of all, to try to return to that moment and then he will have all the help of the staff, the club and the fans because he’s a Manchester United boy. But he has to be the first one to want it.
Hojlund, Zirkzee only have two league goals between them in 2024-25
“I think there is a concern in that, but we have to improve as a team. We controlled the ball in the second half [vs Ipswich] but we were not dangerous. Rasmus and Josh will score more goals. Amad has to be better nearer the goal. Bruno has to score more goals.”
Amorim, as expected, lined Man United up in his preferred 3-4-3 system against Ipswich, but the Portuguese insisted that the players must get used to playing different formations during matches.
“It is not a surprise. These are different things. I have to use the names of the players to explain the situation to you guys. I have explained why we had some problems in the first half,” he added on Wednesday.
“It was not a problem with the players; it was about me [and my ideas]. I believe we can play in different systems. Sometimes we defended in a 4-4-2 [vs Ipswich]. We have to play in different systems because nowadays teams change their dynamic. I think our structure, the power of this structure, is to change formation in each game.”
Man United are widely expected to bring in a new centre-forward next summer, with Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres, who has scored 24 goals in 20 matches at club level this term, thought to be the leading target.
Man United captain Fernandes addresses formation change under Amorim
Fernandes played as one of the number 10s against Ipswich, but he was another that struggled on Sunday, and the Portuguese also addressed the need “to adapt to different ideas and different systems”.
“You always have to adapt to different ideas and different systems. You always have to adapt. It is not difficult for me to attack in different positions,” said the Man United captain.
“I try to have an understanding of the game, as being the captain the manager can give the message from the bench to the pitch. Having the knowledge of every position, knowing the movements, is also in my role.
“I think it could be worse for the younger players because for me, I know what the Sporting players were doing. I wasn’t reading what the manager was doing there; I was watching their games. When I go to the national team, sometimes we play with a back-three, sometimes I play as a No.10, sometimes I play wide. You always have to move.
“I don’t think age should be a problem, either older or younger. It is about carrying the most you can from the dynamics. As the manager has said, you do not need to overthink things, you just need to know you have a base and a foundation.”
Man United are currently preparing for back-to-back home matches against Bodo/Glimt (Europa League) and Everton (Premier League), before beginning December with a trip to the Emirates Stadium to tackle Arsenal.
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