Erik ten Hag criticises Manchester United forwards over lack of goals

Erik ten Hag has called for his Manchester United forwards to become more clinical in front of goal and said they are wasting too many attacking overloads this season.

United's attackers have contributed just six goals all season, with Rasmus Hojlund scoring three in the Champions League and Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Anthony Martial netting one each in all competitions.

In contrast, Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has scored 11 goals in all competitions and Julian Alvarez has struck seven times.

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That ability in front of goal could be a tipping point in this weekend's Old Trafford derby, with United heading into the contest six points behind City, who have scored eight more Premier League goals than Ten Hag's side in just nine matches.

United have won three games in a row for the first time this season, but the successes against Brentford, Sheffield United and FC Copenhagen all by just the odd goal and the performances failed to convince.

Ten Hag feels United are beginning to turn things around after a difficult start to the season and praised his team's pressing and defensive ability, but he wants more from the attackers.

"I said [we're going] in the right direction, we have a way to go, I see positives and I see also negatives, " he said. "We are not consistently in position at the level we can be where we show in games we can be, like Arsenal away and the first 20 minutes at Bayern away.

"We should do this on a consistent basis, but pressing we’re quite good, we have the most ball regains from the whole Premier League, the most middle regains in the whole Premier League, our defending