Manchester United managed to scrape through with a 1-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage, but the performance was far from convincing.

The win came courtesy of a deflected strike from Lisandro Martinez, which helped United move four points closer to the top half of the Premier League table.

However, the game highlighted some ongoing concerns, particularly with the club’s striking options.

Underwhelming Showings from Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee

Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, United’s two primary forwards, had disappointing outings.

Despite getting the start, Hojlund failed to register a single shot on goal, contributing only 17 touches during his time on the pitch.

His performance saw him replaced by Zirkzee just before the hour mark after completing just six of his eight passes.

The striker’s inability to test Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno was a major talking point, and it revealed the difficulties United are facing in their attacking play.

Zirkzee, who has struggled since his £36.5 million summer move, also had a forgettable second half.

He failed to make an impact, registering zero shots and not even getting a touch in Fulham’s penalty area.

With just five passes completed in the 45 minutes he played, Zirkzee’s performance raised further questions about United’s forward line.

Rashford’s Absence Raises More Questions

With both Hojlund and Zirkzee underperforming, the focus shifted to Marcus Rashford, who has not featured in United’s last 11 matches.

Despite holding talks with multiple clubs about a potential loan move, Rashford remains on the sidelines.

United head coach Ruben Amorim has made it clear that the forward is unavailable, citing concerns over Rashford’s training and overall commitment.

Amorim even stated that he would rather play a 63-year-old goalkeeping coach than a player who isn’t putting in the required effort.

Rio Ferdinand Criticizes Hojlund’s Performance

Former United player Rio Ferdinand didn’t hold back in his criticism of Hojlund’s performance.

Speaking on TNT Sports, Ferdinand pointed out that the striker’s failure to hold the ball up and provide a platform for the team to build attacks would have likely frustrated his teammates.

“Manchester United cannot get any good possession around the final third when their number nine is not able to hold the ball up,” Ferdinand said.

Amorim Stays Firm on Rashford’s Situation

Despite United’s attacking struggles, Amorim emphasized that he would not change his stance on players who aren’t fully committed.

“If things don’t change, I will not change,” he stated.

“It’s the same situation for every player. If you do the maximum and do the right things, we can use every player.”

For now, Rashford remains out of the equation, and it seems his situation at United is far from resolved.

United’s lack of a clinical forward is becoming increasingly evident, and with key fixtures coming up, it remains to be seen how they will address these attacking shortcomings.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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