We need everyone to score more: Rangnick

LONDON • Since Ralf Rangnick took charge in December, Manchester United have had a string of underwhelming results to lie sixth in the Premier League table.

The Red Devils sit just two points off the top four and with 15 matches left, the German is demanding his side raise their game, starting with Southampton today.

One major reason for United's struggles this term has been a lack of firepower up front, scoring just three goals in their last three games in all competitions.

Rangnick's men crashed out of the FA Cup last Friday against Middlesbrough on penalties despite taking 30 shots at goal, before amassing 22 further efforts at Burnley in another 1-1 draw on Tuesday.

Equally concerning has been Cristiano Ronaldo's drop in form. The Portugal captain is United's top scorer this season with 14 goals but has not scored in five games.

The forward was last on target against Burnley in late December and was even benched against the same club at Turf Moor. He took 10 shots against Middlesbrough.

This is Ronaldo's worst drought since 2010, when he went five games without a goal at Real Madrid.

But at his pre-match press conference yesterday, Rangnick insisted it was not just the 37-year-old veteran who needed to rediscover his shooting boots.

"It's not only about Cristiano Ronaldo," the United interim boss said. "He should score more goals, it's obvious, but this is not only an issue with Cristiano.

"It's an issue with the other players, especially the offensive players. We don't score enough goals, if you bear in mind how many chances we create, and this is also something that needs to get better in the next couple of weeks.

"At Burnley, in 70 of those 90 minutes, it was very, very, very close to the game plan we spoke before the game and now it's about rewarding ourselves and also getting the results we deserve."

The jury remains out on whether Rangnick has had a positive effect on the side to date.

While the 63-year-old has been earmarked to take a role upstairs in the summer, there had been talk that should his temporary appointment be successful, he could be considered for the full-time job.

Those suggestions have since ebbed, with Paris Saint-Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino increasingly linked with a return to English football at United.

Rangnick, however, yesterday claimed the club was improving steadily under him.

"I was fully aware that this was a process and would take some time," he added. "The development is obvious, even in those last two games. In football it is about getting the reward, the best result, and in those two games that was the only thing I could fault us on.

"It is about improving in terms of performance and results. The team has developed, even the players realise themselves how much they have improved, especially in control of the game."

Buoyed from their 3-2 victory at Tottenham in midweek, Southampton will look to put Rangnick's fighting words to the test. Last season, the Saints suffered their joint-heaviest defeat at Old Trafford - a 9-0 trouncing that left Ralph Hasenhuttl fearing for his job.

There will be no trepidation this time as the visitors are in a good patch of form, holding leaders Manchester City to a draw before the Spurs comeback, and the Austrian wants revenge today.

Hasenhuttl said: "We have had some great results in tough games against Manchester City and Tottenham, and we haven't lost. This is fantastic. We lost to them (United) 9-0 last season, I haven't forgotten this."

REUTERS

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