Erik ten Hag blames his STRIKERS for Man United's early season struggles as he points to one key stat (which is wrong!) - but the Dutchman insists his current forwards CAN become killers in the box

Under-fire Manchester United leader Erik 10 Hag believes their difficult commencement to nan play has been caused by their nonaccomplishment to return their chances, arsenic he called connected his forwards to go killers successful nan box.

Ten Hag's broadside look a important week starting pinch an distant lucifer against Porto connected Thursday night, earlier travelling to Aston Villa connected Sunday.

The Dutchman is facing mounting unit aft nan Red Devils suffered a dismal 3-0 location conclusion to Tottenham connected Sunday.

The consequence leaves Man United lying 13th successful nan Premier League pinch 7 points from six games.

Man United person besides scored conscionable 5 times successful nan apical formation this season, pinch 3 coming against 19th placed Southampton.

Speaking up of Man United's necktie pinch Porto, Ten Hag pointed to Man United's expected goals this play arsenic a motion his strategies are working, but insisted nan clubs forwards request to beryllium decisive successful nan last third. 

'If we didn't create chances past I should uncertainty [if players are pursuing his tactics] but we create a batch of chances, but I deliberation we person nan 3rd highest xG successful nan Premier League. 

'We person to beryllium much effective, but it is besides to do pinch nan truth 1 of our apical scorers has not been disposable until now, he [Rasmus Hojlund] has not had a commencement truthful far  

'We person to amended nan last 3rd and our container game, beryllium much killers there. Our strikers are tin of doing this.' 

According to Opta, Man United are really 5th successful nan Premier League for expected goals (xG) this season.

Tottenham lead nan measurement pinch an xG of 13.69, followed by Liverpool connected 12.64, Man City connected 12.37 and Chelsea connected 12.2.

Man United travel adjacent pinch 10.55, narrowly up of Mikel Arteta’s title chasing Arsenal broadside connected 10.26.

The Red Devils, however, are nan worst performing squad successful nan apical formation compared to their xG, pinch their haul of 5 goals down connected their expected tally by 5.55.

Southampton travel pinch an underperformance of 4.69, pinch Crystal Palace adjacent connected 2.56.

Defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez are Man United’s adjacent highest classed players for xG connected 1.12 and 0.78 respectively.

Amad Diallo and Marcus Rashford are presently outperforming their xG having some scored connected extremity this season, pinch nan brace expected to person netted 0.43 and 0.40 times respectively.

Diallo has had six shots successful nan apical formation this season, while Rashford has only had 4 attempts successful six matches.

Ten Hag will dream nan return to fittingness of Hojlund tin boost their fortunes successful beforehand of goal.

The Danish forward, who scored 16 goals successful 43 matches successful his debut season, has been restricted to conscionable 43 minutes truthful acold this run owed to injury.