Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag was asked about his team’s inability to score ahead of the all-important Manchester derby.
The Dutchman criticised his forwards for failing despite turnovers in dangerous positions with both his wingers letting him down so far this season.
Marcus Rashford, who was last season’s top scorer, has netted only once while Antony on the right looks devoid of confidence and is failing to even cut inside and shoot, something he is usually good at.
United’s struggles up front
With Jadon Sancho still out of the picture, another versatile winger could have been the perfect solution but the manager ended up selling Anthony Elanga in the summer.
The Swede moved to Nottingham Forest and has already enjoyed a more prolific campaign as compared to last season where he hardly got chances.
In Ten Hag’s first season, the United academy graduate started only seven games in all competitions, registering only two assists.
After breaking through under former interim manager Ralf Rangnick, the hope was that the Sweden international would go from strength to strength under the Dutchman.
But he found chances hard to come by under the former Ajax coach and eventually United sold him for £15 million as Ten Hag trimmed his squad.
Under Steve Cooper, the 21-year-old has started four times and assisted thrice, while scoring the winner against Chelsea in the Premier League.
And he has no regrets over leaving a club he was there for nine years. Even though there seems to be a gaping hole in the squad which he could have filled, Elanga is already looking forward to his new innings at Forest.
Elanga does not regret leaving United
“It wasn’t easy to leave United because I had been there for nine years from the academy to first team. But at the end of the day I have to think about myself and would I want to stay another year coming in and out from the bench or be a starter at a team on the rise, improving and getting better,’ he told The Daily Mail.
“When I make a decision I stick by it. I have not regretted that decision one bit,” he said. “My senior time at United was short, two years of valuable learning, ups and downs and I take that experience and bring it here.
“I learned a lot from them and take that experience what they did on and off the pitch and try to bring it here and apply it to my game.”
United fans will wish Elanga the best moving forward and will hope United’s current wingers can get their act together soon with important fixtures coming up.