Man Utd are a much better team under Ten Hag this season but can get even better with some adjustments.
Manchester United fans would have snatched at the chance to be third in the Premier League by February and only eight-points from the top.
Despite an abysmal start to the season under new manager Erik ten Hag, they have recovered to become one of the division’s most formidable teams, with a newfound ability to grind out gritty wins on a regular basis.
This consistency has formed the backbone of United’s resurgent rise up the table, propelled by forward momentum at a time when many other sides have been struggling for form.
Ten Hag has masterminded huge wins over Man City and Arsenal already this campaign, the table still represents a fair reflection of where United are at, given that there have been many occasions in which they have struggled to break down some of the smaller sides in the league.
The table also doesn’t lie with regard to United’s attacking output this season, with the side still below the standards set by the other top teams in the league.
United are the joint sixth-highest goal scorers in the Premier League, with 34 goals from 21 matches so far, meaning they have scored as many as Liverpool this campaign but have netted fewer than both Brentford and Brighton.
In comparison, City lead the way with a staggering 53 goals already this term, while league leaders Arsenal have managed to score 45 and have played one game less.
It is another timely reminder of the work that still needs to be done if United are to make the leap to become genuine title contenders in the years ahead, and puts further importance on signing another top forward this summer.
United still only have a goal difference of just +8 at this stage of the season, which is 20 behind Arsenal and even further behind that of City.
In the last five seasons, the lowest amount of goals scored by the Premier League winners was 83, and the average has been 93. In that time, the most United have scored in a single league season is 73. Even at their best, they have been way off the mark.
It also means that recent Premier League winners have scored an average of 2.44 goals per game, while United have averaged just 1.6 per game this season.
Adding an elite forward to the side could certainly help United in their aim of becoming one of the most lethal sides in the league, though Ten Hag will also be demanding more from his wide men this season amid an overreliance on Marcus Rashford.
The England international has netted 19 goals for his club this season, which is more than Wout Weghorst (1), Anthony Martial (6), Antony (5), Alejandro Garnacho (2), Jadon Sancho (3), Facundo Pellistri (0) and Anthony Elanga (0) have scored for the club this season combined.
What bodes well is that United are at least keeping them out at the other end, meaning that when they do score goals, they often count for something.
However, if they want to return to the top, then there is clearly work to be done in attacking areas, and even if they claw back the points on either of the teams ahead of them in the league, they will find it near-impossible to overturn such a hefty goal difference.
United have the defence of champions; now they need the attack to match.
Source: www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk
