Ruben Amorim admits Manchester United’s shortcomings in the final third is a source of ‘concern’ and has challenged five players to ‘score more goals’.
Goals have been hard to come by for United this season, with their tally of 13 in the Premier League the fourth-worst in the division.
Doubts remain over Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee – who cost more than £100m combined – leading Amorim to start Marcus Rashford up front in his first game in charge against Ipswich Town.
Rashford broke the deadlock inside two minutes but was largely ineffective from then on and Amorim admits striker is not his best position.
Given their struggles in front of goal, Manchester United have been heavily linked with a move for a new striker, most notably Amorim’s former Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres.
Amorim has played down suggestions United need to enter the transfer market to solve their goalscoring problems, however, and says they have several ‘quality players’ who can contribute.
‘Of course there is a concern in that,’ Amorim said at a press conference on Wednesday when asked about Manchester United’s goalscoring issues.
‘But we have to improve as a team. We have quality players that can score so many goals.
‘You could feel it in the second-half [against Ipswich], we controlled possession of the ball but we were not dangerous.
‘Maybe that’s because we spent the week trying to build-up and then the rest was not there.
‘We will try to improve as a team and then Ras [Hojlund], Josh [Zirkzee], Rash will score more goals. Even Bruno has to score more goals… Amad has to be better in front of goal.
‘All these guys need to improve and we can score so many goals. We need to improve as a team, it’s not about needing a new striker. These players can score more goals.’
England international Rashford scored 30 goals in all competitions in Erik ten Hag’s first season at Manchester United but his numbers took a huge hit last term.
The 27-year-old currently has just two Premier League goals to his name and Amorim insists he will try to find the ‘right solution’ to get the best out of Rashford going forward.
‘I will try to help him,’ Amorim said. ‘That position is not the best one for him, especially in a game like that. He was fighting with two giants.
‘We will try to find the right solution for him and the other players. He has to be Marcus, first of all, to try to return to that moment.
‘He will have the help of all the squad and the fans because he’s a United boy. But he needs to be the first one to want it.’
Amorim’s next assignment as Manchester United boss is a Europa League clash against Bodo/Glimt on Thursday night.
‘I am expecting a very good team,’ Amorim said. ‘They can win the [Norwegian] league this week.
‘They run a lot and that is a very good thing for us, we need to improve that. They have some special players on the wing and they can play in the pockets very well.
‘They have that aura of winning games. I am expecting a very intense game and I am expecting some different things.’
Following their Europa League commitments, Manchester United return to Premier League action on Sunday afternoon against Everton.
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