Man Utd: Alejandro Garnacho sums up misfiring attack as Ruben Amorim searches for scoring solutions
Alejandro Garnacho's bad misses at Tottenham underlined his personal scoring drought - and Ruben Amorim's big problems in attack with Man Utd; winger is yet to score under Portuguese boss, missing 12 big chances this season
Thursday 20 February 2025 12:18, UK
Manchester United's 1-0 defeat at the hands of Spurs last weekend has once again highlighted their struggle in front of goal - with Alejandro Garnacho's personal drought underlined by several bad misses.
Under the leadership of Ruben Amorim, the Red Devils have now failed to score in six of their 14 Premier League games, showcasing an alarming lack of potency in attack.
At Tottenham, Manchester Utd managed 16 shots, including two big chances. Despite this, they were unable to find the back of the net, continuing a frustrating trend for their players and their fans alike.
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Since Amorim took charge of Man Utd in November, the team's attacking statistics have been concerning. In this period, only four other Premier League teams have scored fewer goals. Even more worrisome is their performance in the first half of matches; only one team has fewer first-half goals and had a worse shot conversion rate than the Red Devils.
Amorim's players are gradually adapting to his playing style, but their problems in attack are particularly striking. During his tenure at Sporting, Amorim heavily relied on Viktor Gyokeres, who netted an impressive 66 goals in 68 appearances under his guidance. However, since Amorim's first game with United, only six players have managed to score a Premier League goal for the team.
Amad Diallo, who could miss the rest of the season through injury, is their top scorer under Amorim with just five goals.
With Amad injured and Marcus Rashford now donning the claret and blue of Aston Villa, United are in a precarious position regarding their attacking options. The forward line is now heavily reliant on the trio of Joshua Zirkzee, Rasmus Hojlund, and Alejandro Garnacho.
Despite being promising talents, this trio has collectively managed to score only three goals from a total of 44 attempts in the Premier League under Amorim.
Garnacho, in particular, has been experiencing a challenging period in front of goal.
Since Amorim's first game at Ipswich, Garnacho has attempted more shots without scoring than any other player in the Premier League. Additionally, he has missed six big chances, more than any other Manchester United player during this period.
It's notable that the last of Garnacho's three Premier League goals this season came in a 3-0 victory against Leicester on November 10, which was also the final match under interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The big chances missed have hurt United all season, but the situation has become even more dire under Amorim.
Garnacho has been a notable example of this struggle, as he currently holds the worst conversion rate of any player in the Premier League to have had 10 or more big chances this season.
Out of the 14 big chances that have come his way, Garnacho has only managed to convert two into goals.
Manchester United's position in the Premier League has been adversely affected by this lack of clinical finishing in front of goal. They must significantly improve their conversion rate when presented with these scoring opportunities.
With injuries to key players, the responsibility to deliver goals falls heavily on the shoulders of Zirkzee, Hojlund, and Garnacho.
The game at Everton on Saturday lunchtime will be another tough ask with David Moyes' impact since returning to Goodison Park making it a much tougher place to go. The pressure is on for Zirkzee, Hojlund, and especially Garnacho to step up and find their finishing boots to help Man Utd end this miserable Premier League run.
