Erik ten Hag has said Manchester United signing a proven goalscorer this summer “would help” – while stressing the striking options with which they entered the current season “should have been enough”.
Having last term finished third in the Premier League and won the Carabao Cup in their first campaign under Ten Hag’s management, United have subsequently underwhelmed.
With seven games to go in the league, they lie sixth, 11 points behind fourth-placed Tottenham, as well as fifth-placed Aston Villa, and have the lowest goals-for tally in the top 10 with 45.
Twenty-one-year-old striker Rasmus Hojlund has netted 13 times in all competitions since being signed last summer to join an attack also featuring Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.
Rashford has eight United goals to his name for 2023-24, and Martial – sidelined since groin surgery in January, with Ten Hag unsure if he will be available again before the end of the season – two.
Asked at a press conference ahead of Saturday’s league trip to Bournemouth how vital it was that United sign a proven hitman this summer, Ten Hag said: “I think it would help.
“In this plan we constructed we should have had enough goals. You count on goals from Rashy – last season he scored 30. You count on goals from Martial – in my first season he played very well and also in very important games he had a high impact on our performances.
“And then bringing a goalscorer like Rasmus Hojlund in, it should have been enough goals.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe became minority owner at United in February, taking control of football operations.
A change was confirmed this week as the club on Tuesday announced John Murtough was stepping down as football director, and United are looking to bring in Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth and Southampton director of football Jason Wilcox.
Ten Hag said with regard to the summer: “We are working in the background on plans with scouting. We are working on our plan, the plan is ready, but it has to execute, and I trust the new ownership that they will work as quick as possible and bring new good structures and that they can execute.
“We have good plans, I think also with quality players. You see now about recruitment: (Andre) Onana is doing very well, Rasmus Hojlund, everyone is seeing his big talent and potential. (Lisandro) Martinez, everyone was hugely happy with him, and there are others.
“So the recruitment is good. But if they (new directors) have even better ideas, we are always open. If you have options but they come with better options we are open.
“But we have a way we want to play, so we know our profiles, so it has to match the profiles we want.”
As well as the changes to the club hierarchy, the season has seen United – currently assessing Rashford, as well as midfielder Scott McTominay ahead of the Bournemouth game – hit by considerable injury problems, while there have also been other issues involving players such as that which led to Jadon Sancho leaving for Borussia Dortmund on loan in January.
Asked about the challenges, Ten Hag said: “The thing is, you have to be realistic – as a manager, it’s like a minister, you don’t have anything in your hands but at the end of the day, and that is what you have to accept, you are responsible for everything. And I take that.
“Some things… it just happens, and then you have to make the best out of it.”
He added: “This business, this industry, is about results and many see only the results, but you have to see also what’s underneath. I see underneath and I see the potential. I see the direction. So I’m positive in the way we want to go, and we will be successful.”
Liverpool 0-1 Nottingham Forest: Hudson-Odoi provides reality check for Slot
Callum Hudson-Odoi's goal gave Nottingham Forest their first league victory at Anfield in 55 years and ended Liverpool's perfect start to life under Arne Slot on Saturday.
Substitute Hudson-Odoi scored the only goal of the game after 72 minutes, capping a lightning Forest counterattack with a curling strike that deflected in off Ibrahima Konate.
Liverpool had earlier gone close through Luis Diaz as he struck the base of the post in the first half, but they struggled to pose Nuno Espirito Santo's men too many problems in a flat display.
The defeat, which comes after impressive shutout victories over Ipswich Town, Brentford and Manchester United, means Liverpool have lost early ground on Manchester City, who now boast a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
Forest, meanwhile, remain unbeaten in 2024/25 and move up into fourth place with eight points, just one behind Saturday's opponents, who stay second.
Luis Diaz had the first real chance of the match when he rattled the post after 16 minutes, dispossessing Ryan Yates at the byline before cutting inside from the left and seeing his shot bounce clear off the woodwork.
Matz Sels almost caused Forest's undoing just before half-time as he spilled Diaz's looping header, but it was his team-mate Hudson-Odoi who got the eventual winner.
Cutting inside from the left, he bent an effort towards the far corner, with a deflection off Konate carrying it out of Alisson's reach to condemn Liverpool to defeat.
Data Debrief: Forest end Anfield hoodoo
It is the first time Nottingham Forest have won away at Liverpool in the league since winning 2-0 against Bill Shankly's side in 1969.
It is also the first time Forest manager Nuno has achieved Premier League victory against Liverpool, having lost his previous seven meetings with them.
Since the start of last season, meanwhile, winning goalscorer Hudson-Odoi (four) is third only to Phil Foden (six) and Eberechi Eze (five) for goals scored from outside the box in the top flight.
Brighton 0-0 Ipswich: Muric heroics hands Tractor Boys a point
Brighton's unbeaten start to the Premier League season continued, but they were held to a frustrating goalless draw by Ipswich Town and inspired goalkeeper Arijanet Muric.
The Seagulls could not make their dominance count as their newly promoted opponents showed spirit and resilience to earn their first away point back in the Premier League on Saturday.
Muric kept Ipswich in the contest with a series of excellent saves to deny Brighton in a one-sided first half.
Ipswich carried more of a counter-attacking threat after half-time, and Liam Delap nearly shocked the Amex Stadium when his strike hit the post following a powerful run.
Brighton kept pushing for a breakthrough goal at the other end, but Ipswich held on and are just outside of the relegation zone, with their hosts staying third behind Manchester City and Liverpool.
Data Debrief: You shall not pass
This was Brighton’s 27th goalless draw in the Premier League, three more than any other side since they were promoted to the division in 2017.
The Seagulls had 21 shots against Ipswich, their most without scoring in a single Premier League home game since February 2023 against Fulham (also 21).
Fabian Hurzeler's side managed six shots on target, all of which were met with the gloves of Muric, who made six saves to hand the Tractor Boys their second point of the season.
But there will be cause for concern at the top end of the pitch. Ipswich didn’t register a single shot in the first half – it’s the first time they’ve not had a shot in the opening 45 minutes of a league match since March 2020 against Fleetwood Town in League One.
Fulham 1-1 West Ham: Ings' last-gasp leveller denies Cottagers
Danny Ings' stoppage-time strike rescued a point for West Ham as they drew 1-1 with Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Ings cancelled out Raul Jimenez's first-half goal as local bragging rights were shared in this London derby.
Fulham should have broken the deadlock in the 23rd minute, but Adama Traore headed Alex Iwobi's inviting cross wide from six yards out.
But the hosts were not to be denied just 60 seconds later. Smith Rowe beat the offside trap to latch onto Andreas Pereira's throughball, before crossing for Jimenez to tuck away.
West Ham went close to equalising on the hour mark when Jarrod Bowen brilliantly controlled Mohammed Kudus' cross, but was thwarted by Bernd Leno's smart reflex save.
The Hammers looked set to leave the Cottage empty-handed until the fourth minute of stoppage time, when substitute Ings took Bowen's centre into his stride before Leno could only help the fierce drive into the net.
Data Debrief: Jimenez continues to be scourge of Hammers
Jimenez continued his impressive scoring record against West Ham. The Mexican found the net against them in the Premier League for the sixth time; more than he has managed against any other side.
However, his efforts ultimately proved in vain. Despite an xG of just 0.53 - compared to Fulham's 1.61 - the Hammers struck with one of the last kicks of the game to prevent a third defeat in four matches.
It was Ings' first Premier League away goal since November 2022, while it was the latest West Ham have scored that gained points in the Premier League.
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