If you ask soccer fans, they can attest to how cruel the game can get sometimes. Fans often have to deal with the heartache of seeing their teams lose every other week. Usually, some of the losses are hard to stomach sometimes because of the scores or even the opponent.

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Manchester United has been having a hard time scoring, seen with the poor kick-off to the season. Fans have been making many guesses attempting to explain the poor performance, and they feel it has a lot to do with dwindling concentration levels and the lack of consistency.

The club recently suffered a 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace and another 3-2 to Galatasaray. In case you have been wondering why there has been a scarcity of goals for Manchester United, here are some plausible reasons.

1. Flunking Wingers

Incredible wing play is one of the things Manchester United prides itself on. However, lately, they have been struggling to get things going. In addition to Rashford being at the center of the problem, Antony also delivered an underwhelming performance, having only scored four Premier League goals.

Some fans even questioned if Antony’s £82m price tag was worth it based on his performance this season. Antony has a lot of pressure because of the price tag, and he has a lot to prove, especially after his disappointing debut. Alejandro Garnacho, who made quite a delivery in the previous season, was also underwhelming, seemingly justifying the fans’ opinion that he is better off as a substitute.

2. Lack of Consistency

Erik ten Hag, Manchester United’s Dutch manager, mentioned that consistency is one of the areas that the club has been struggling. While the team has been great in so many aspects of the game, consistency has been dwindling and has, for this reason, had a hard time holding out.

The Dutchman has been big on maintaining consistency, especially in communication, for the club to survive the season. If the team would remain consistent in communication and maintain the required organization, they could achieve more.

3. Hojlund’s Injury

It is likely that Manchester United has been held back by Hojlund’s injury this season. Rasmus Hojlund is the man Manchester United chose to be the striker for the next couple of years. Unfortunately, Hojlund had a back injury, and his debut had to wait until he recovered. He would have been a great asset earlier in the season owing to his explosive power and pace, along with his 6’2 height.

In the last season, Manchester United was also not very fortunate to have a proper striker because of the troubles with Anthony Martial’s fitness troubles, Wout Weghorst’s limited ability, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s issues and departure.

4. Mason Mount’s Challenging Position

Mason Mount’s signing to Manchester United came as a surprise to many observers and fans. However, Ten Hag was firm that this move would make the team more dynamic. However, Mount had trouble settling in because of a hamstring injury.

In addition to that, Mason Mount has not really met expectations as he seemingly struggled with the competitive games pre-season, which seems like he was signed to a deeper role than he is used to. You are probably wondering how this would have possibly affected United’s performance. In light of the team’s defense, it was vulnerable, with Casemiro looking isolated, making the team worn down in attack.

5. Pre-Season Energy Sapping

If you have been keen, you may have noticed just how tired Manchester United players looked. This might have been a contributing factor to the struggling scores. The club played 62 matches last season, with some players completing their final legs in June.

Players like Casemiro were already looking disarranged after two matches in the season. Manchester United did not also do themselves a favor by arranging a pre-season campaign, which saw them engage in eight friendly matches.

It is worth noting that the better share of their preparation happened in the United States, visiting four states and amassing over 5,700 miles in air travel. While the tours served significant financial value for the club, they had a negative effect on their performance. What was considered too much traveling and games did a number on their energy levels.

Take Away

Manchester United has struck a few times compared to the previous seasons, and there is an urgent need for the team to boost their attack. The club has always been celebrated for fast starts, even in those seasons that were generally considered underwhelming.

Manchester United’s troubles at the goalpost this season are mostly attributed to the players’ underperformance and individual errors. Ten Hag has also acknowledged that there are key areas, such as communication, which they aren’t handling well enough.