Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag believes goals will come for Dutch striker Wout Weghorst , who has struggled to score on a consistent basis since his loan move from Burnley in January.
The 30-year-old has been a regular face in the starting XI, playing 13 times so far. He has, however, only found the back of the net once which came in the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinals.
It has called into question whether the former Wolfsburg forward can be relied on for goals but Ten Hag asserts it’s a matter of time before the former Wolfsburg player settles down as he gets more minutes on the pitch.
“That [goals] will come,” Ten Hag said on the club website. “I have the experience with so many players. I refer often to Rashford at the start of the season, he also [had] not scored [in] every game.
“But I know in my experience it will come once he’s more settled down. Of course, he has a lot of games with us in a not-so-long period.
“When he’s [been] longer here, the routines will be there and when he has the next goal, more will come.”
In the absence of goals, the towering forward has shown high work rate and also pressing abilities which were evident in the Carabao Cup final triumph against Newcastle on Sunday and the 3-1 FA Cup fifth-round win over West Ham United on Wednesday.
Ten Hag named Weghorst as one of the best players on the pitch as he was close to scoring United’s second goal but it went in as an own goal by Moroccan centre-back Nayef Aguerd. He still provided the assist for the third goal scored by Fred in added time.
The definition of team player.
Keep it up, Wout ????#MUFC || #FACup pic.twitter.com/tKtatLg6Y2
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 2, 2023
“I think he was one of the best players on the pitch,” Ten Hag continued. “He was involved to see [win] the corner back, but maybe he was also there in front, he came up together with Harry [Maguire] to force the own goal.
“But I think for the Garnacho goal, he was doing pressing in the switch of play. And definitely in the third goal, when he forced the opponent to make a mistake so Fred could score.
“I think he understands positioning in and out of possession. And he’s doing a really good job for the team.”
Weghorst will be expected to start in his unique role upfront once again when United make a 50-kilometre trip to face fierce rivals Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.
