Manchester United visit Wolverhampton Wanderers this evening for a fixture which could define how the rest of their season pans out.
A victory would keep the Red Devils in the running to qualify for Europe, while a defeat would drop them below Wolves in the Premier League table.
United head into the match at Molineux ninth in the standings, 11 points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with a game in hand.
If Erik ten Hag’s side are to bridge the gap to the top four, they desperately need their misfiring forwards to start scoring goals.
United have netted just 24 league goals this term – only Sheffield United (19) and Burnley (22) have scored less and they will likely be relegated at the end of the season.
Given the attacking talent in the squad, you would be hard-pushed to explain why midfielder Scott McTominay is the top scorer with five league goals.
Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund have scored nine league goals between them this season, while Antony has yet to get off the mark.
The appointment of former South African forward Benni McCarthy as a coach in 2022 was touted as a move which would improve United’s attacking fortunes.
He enjoyed a hugely successful playing career, which was headlined by winning the Champions League with Porto under manager Jose Mourinho in 2003/04.
McCarthy initially honed his skills in his homeland, taking cues from a legendary South African international to become a more rounded centre-forward.
His hero was football icon Doctor Khumalo, who was not noted for his speed but whose laser-sharp thinking helped him outwit opponents at club and international level.
This mindset is a factor McCarthy must instil in United’s forwards. Each player possesses the necessary physical attributes to succeed, but their mental sharpness requires work.
Unlocking Hojlund’s potential is undoubtedly a top priority for McCarthy. The Denmark international has scored twice in the league, but he has shown plenty of promise.
Moving to Old Trafford was never likely to be easy for the 20-year-old, and it is much too early to judge whether United’s massive outlay on him was justified.
McCarthy and the rest of United’s coaching staff must also pull out all the stops to get Rashford back to his best, particularly after his latest antics.
Rashford was spotted heading into a Belfast nightclub last week before claiming to be sick when he failed to report for training.
He was subsequently dropped for the FA Cup victory at Newport County but has been restored to the squad following clear-the-air talks with Ten Hag.
Rashford’s form has dropped off a cliff this season following a stellar 2022/23 campaign where he netted 30 goals for the club in all competitions.
The 26-year-old has often looked like football is a chore during the current campaign, and the coaching staff must find a way to get him back to his best.
Garnacho and Antony are also puzzling cases of footballers who have the tools to be world-class stars but are not delivering consistent performances.
The former’s wonder goal at Everton is still fresh in the memory, but he needs to do more if comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo are ever to be fulfilled.
Antony has done little to demonstrate why United splashed the cash to sign him from Ajax in 2022, and he is running out of time to prove he can produce the goods in English football.
McCarthy and co need to find rapid answers to these problems to ensure that United salvage something from a thoroughly underwhelming season to date.
