are on observe to log their worst goal-scoring tally in a single season. However simply how poor have their strikers, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, been in 2024-25?
The Purple Devils’ worst Premier League marketing campaign in entrance of objective got here in Louis van Gaal’s ultimate season in 2015-16 after they scored 49 targets. Thus far this season, Man Utd have scored simply 30 in 26 video games, at a charge of 1.15 per match. At this charge, the Purple Devils are set to complete the season on 44 targets.
The worst Man Utd facet ever?
Final month, Ruben Amorim labelled his facet “the worst crew possibly within the historical past of Manchester United” — and the stats would agree with the declare, definitely within the Premier League period.
Man Utd are set to blow virtually each Premier League “worst” in membership historical past out of the water this season, beginning with targets scored.
In Erik ten Hag’s ultimate full season at Previous Trafford, his facet logged their lowest end within the rebranded top-flight (eighth). However that file is about to be damaged one 12 months later, with the Purple Devils languishing in fifteenth.
In 2021-22, Man Utd tallied their fewest factors in a Premier League marketing campaign (58), in a tumultuous 12 months which noticed the return of Cristiano Ronaldo, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s departure, and the hiring and firing of Ralf Rangnick.
However this 12 months, Man Utd are on observe to complete on simply 44 factors — their worst since Ron Atkinson was changed by Sir Alex Ferguson mid-way by the 1986-87 marketing campaign.
Man Utd’s major challenge stays to be their kind in entrance of objective. Amorim’s facet have scored the fifth-fewest targets (30) and missed the seventh-most massive possibilities (44) within the Premier League this season.
So, allow us to look into the stats behind the Purple Devils’ two major antagonists who’ve didn’t get the job executed up high.
Hojlund vs Zirkzee
Some Man Utd followers will favour one over the opposite, however the backside line is that Hojlund and Zirkzee’s numbers have each been sub-par, to place it delicately.
Their minutes have been close to even, with Hojlund taking part in simply over 200 extra, whereas Zirkzee has made 5 extra appearances. However how do their numbers match-up in opposition to each other?
defender Josko Gvardiol has scored as many targets within the league this season as Man Utd’s woeful duo mixed (5). Hojlund has scored two targets (0.14 targets per 90 minutes) in comparison with Zirkzee’s three (0.26 per 90), whereas the latter has offered one help in comparison with Hojlund who has not managed to take action but.
Hojlund and Zirkzee have fired solely 16 and 23 pictures respectively, the twenty ninth and Twenty fifth-most within the Premier League. Not solely are they not scoring, they’re failing to even take a look at their luck.
However this isn’t as a result of their supporting forged haven’t handed them alternatives; Man Utd has a crew have created the eighth-most possibilities within the Premier League this season (267). In fact, that quantity shouldn’t be adequate for a crew that needs to combat for .
However we have to be frank; Man Utd are fifteenth within the league with the fifth-fewest targets scored. They don’t seem to be the crew they was and it’s clear that their attackers usually are not doing any justice for his or her inventive counterparts in midfield.
With regards to ending their alternatives, Hojlund has missed three massive possibilities, whereas Zirkzee has missed double that quantity.
Nevertheless, Zirkzee has been extra of a supplier than his competitor for the beginning striker spot, creating 4 massive possibilities in comparison with Hojlund’s three. The Dutchman has additionally accomplished extra passes within the ultimate third (128) than Hojlund (79) and has managed extra take-ons (25 in comparison with Hojlund’s 20).
What ought to Amorim do about it?
Amorim should now think about which striker he opts to play going ahead, if both. He has just lately weaved academy star Chido Obi into the matchday squad, with the 17-year-old logging minutes in back-to-back video games.
The 6’5″ ahead has seemed nervous, to say the least, misplacing passes and failing to exert his bodily presence on Premier League defenders, as he so usually does on the Below-21 and U18 stage.
These are possible rising pains, and it might be harsh to challenge a gruelling verdict on the teenager after round half an hour of senior soccer.
However, Amorim has a call to make in the summertime. Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres has been earmarked with a reunion together with his former supervisor at Previous Trafford, whereas there’s a plethora of attacking expertise available on the market.
Benjamin Sesko, Jonathan David and Alexander Isak are on the checklist of frontmen linked with a transfer away from their present golf equipment, to call just a few.
It might hardly be unjustifiable for Man Utd to name time on their two failed striker tasks, and look to ship off both Hojlund or Zirkzee in the summertime, particularly with the calibre of replacements out there elsewhere.
*Utilizing Bookmaker/Affiliate hyperlinks on squawka.com might earn us a fee, at no further value to you. 18+ solely. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. For extra data, go to gambleaware.org.