Erik ten Hag has urged Manchester United fans to be patient with his team through a stumbling start to the new season.
United have dropped eight points in their first five Premier League games and drew the opening Europa League tie against FC Twente at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
It follows another £200million spend in the transfer market this summer – taking the total outlay under Ten Hag past the £600m mark – and the Dutchman admitted that scoring goals remains the chief problem despite signing young forwards Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.
Hojlund scored 16 goals in his first season but has yet to start this term due to a hamstring injury, while Zirkzee has scored once since joining from Bologna in the summer.
Ten Hag admitted that he shares the fans’ impatience but insisted he still needs time. ‘I think you have to assess the situation, still we are working and progress,’ he said. ‘We have to sign players but we made a choice to sign very young players, like last year Hojlund and this year Zirkzee and Leny Yoro, players we believe in them in this moment and also for the future and we have to build them.
Erik ten Hag has called for patience amid Man United’s inconsistent start to the new season
Summer signing Joshua Zirkzee is still settling in to life in the Premier League and has scored just once this term
FC Twente were overjoyed to leave Old Trafford with a point in their Europa League opener on Wednesday night
‘I think we turned a corner and have to work with the squad and that takes time. Also I am impatient and I want to go straight forward, but also we had success in the last two seasons and we have to work hard to bring more success.
‘You have also to be fair. We won two trophies in the last two seasons and we are ambitious. We want to win another one and be as high as possible and go in every game for winning the game, it doesn’t matter who the opponent is.’
Asked what is wrong with United at the moment, he replied: ‘Not scoring enough goals, that is the problem.
The key area is to score more goals as a team. We have players across the team who have the ability to score, that is clear. You see all the opportunities we are creating, but we are not scoring enough.’
Rasmus Hojlund, whose season has been hampered by injury, is still looking for his first goal of the campaign
Ten Hag believes that Zirkzee can become prolific, adding: ‘Yes I do and he is young and you see his capabilities.
He is a good link-up player. He is creative, he is creating chances but he has his moments. He has some very good attributes and some attributes and he can also improve.’