Erik ten Hag urges Manchester United to be more clinical to end winless run
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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag knows his side must buck up if they want to avoid a fourth straight winless match in all competitions.
PHOTO: REUTERS
LONDON – Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has called on his team to be more clinical in front of goal as the Red Devils travel to the London Stadium to take on West Ham United in the English Premier League on Dec 23.
They head into the game on the back of three winless matches in all competitions, but will be buoyed by a hard-earned 0-0 draw at Liverpool last weekend.
Ten Hag’s men are seventh in the standings on 28 points, while West Ham – who lost 5-1 to Liverpool in the League Cup quarter-finals in midweek – are just a point behind.
United suffered a shock 3-0 loss to Bournemouth and a 1-0 defeat by German champions Bayern Munich in the Champions League before the goal-less draw at Anfield – in all three games they have failed to score.
“We have played very strong teams in Liverpool and Bayern Munich, and before we had a poor game (against Bournemouth),” said ten Hag.
“We have to improve. We played very good against Bayern Munich and Liverpool but we should have created more chances and been more clinical in such moments.
“It is not about one player, it is about a group of us. You know my philosophy – we have to attack with 11.
“It is about everyone. We need to move the ball better, the decision-making on the ball has to be better. Sometimes we also have to be more clinical.”
Such has been their poor form that they are six points behind fourth-placed Manchester City and it is difficult to see the Red Devils keeping up the chase for a Champions League spot.
United are already out of the League Cup and the Champions League – in which they failed even to drop down to the Europa League after finishing bottom of their group.
Following this West Ham clash, they will host high-flying Aston Villa, therefore United cannot afford another loss if they hope to revive their flagging campaign.
Ten Hag’s side have picked up just 13 points from their eight away league games this season. The previous time the two sides met, the Hammers clinched a 1-0 home victory in May.
Captain Bruno Fernandes will be back after his ban, but Diogo Dalot will serve his suspension after a red card against Liverpool. Christian Eriksen is back in training but unlikely to feature.
The United treatment room remains crowded with the likes of Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Tyrell Malacia, Mason Mount and Amad Diallo out.
West Ham, meanwhile, have won four of their last six games in the Premier League and are in better form than United.
West Ham are in better form than United.
The Hammers have claimed 14 points from their eight home games this season and will hope to add to that and leapfrog the Red Devils in the standings.
“We’ll be up for the game and ready to play,” said manager David Moyes.
“We’re just off the back of a really good league win against Wolverhampton Wanderers (3-0). Our form has been pretty good, so we want to keep that up and we’ll try to do that against Manchester United.”
West Ham will again be missing Michail Antonio due to a long-term knee injury.
