Ten Hag criticized Man Utd's squandering attack

"Regarding the dressing room, I told the team we had to score more goals," Ten Hag told Prime Video after the game. "We created a lot of chances, and it wasn't until the end of the game that we scored the third. We needed to finish the game earlier."

At Old Trafford yesterday, Man Utd entered the game jubilantly and led 2-0 after 22 minutes thanks to Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial. At the end of the first half, the "Red Devils" sagged and let Nottingham Forest repeatedly threaten. 40 minutes, Ryan Yates header hit the ground to hit David De Gea's net. But VAR stepped in, determined another away player Willy Boly was offside and denied the away team's goal.

In the second half, Man Utd regained the game, but in turn, Antony, Martial or Rashford could not defeat goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey with close-range shots. It wasn't until the 87th minute that the homeowner found the score thanks to Fred's work.

According to Ten Hag, Martial, Rashford or Bruno Fernandes have the instinct to score goals, but need to be sharper in finishing. The Dutch coach emphasized that scoring more early goals helps Man Utd keep his feet, not having to exert himself for the rest of the time. "At the beginning of the second half, we had two good chances to finish the game. If we score, everything will be easier after that," he said.

Ten Hag continues to confirm that he wants to recruit a striker when the January transfer window opens to replace Cristiano Ronaldo - who left his contract half a year early because of a controversial interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored. But Man Utd coach refused to talk about Liverpool's successful recruitment of fellow striker Cody Gakpo. In the summer of 2022, Man Utd once targeted Gakpo, but prioritized recruiting Antony from Ajax.

"We are looking for attacking players, a striker," revealed Ten Hag. "It is necessary when we have to play a match in about three days. We need the necessary number of players in the squad to fight in all competitions. But everything has to fit the physical criteria. sports and finance".

In the win over Nottingham Forest, Casemiro was one of the best performers. The Brazilian midfielder successfully competed near the corner flagpole, opened Martial's second goal, and then personally cut the ball in the middle of the field and created Fred to set the score. This match, Casemiro led in many parameters, including decisive pass (3), tackle (5) and duels (11). "It's been a pleasure working with Casemiro," Ten Hag praised the Brazilian midfielder. "All see his importance. The performance, the class that Casemiro brings to the club is huge."

Victory in the last Old Trafford match of 2022 helps Man Utd consolidate fifth place with 29 points, one point behind Tottenham and one game less. In the next round, the army under Ten Hag will be guests of Wolves - the team currently ranked 18th - on December 31.