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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hopes Mason Greenwood will revitalise Manchester United’s attack

Greenwood has missed United’s last two games through injury

Mark Critchley
Northern Football Correspondent
Monday 23 November 2020 09:33 GMT
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Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood
Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood (Manchester United via Getty Images)

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes that the return of Mason Greenwood could help to revitalise Manchester United's attack and turn their early season form around.

United recorded their first home league win of the season at the fifth attempt on Saturday but required a re-taken Bruno Fernandes penalty to overcome winless West Bromwich Albion.

Solskjaer described his side's all-round performance as "well below par" and "not a step forward", while stressing the importance of not overcomplicating their play.

Greenwood has missed United's last two games with an illness but the United manager hopes that the 19-year-old will reinvigorate his front line upon his return.

“We need to improve," Solskjaer said. "We need to get more flow and rhythm to our game, be more clinical, take our chances.

Read more: Are Manchester United becoming too reliant on Bruno Fernandes’ penalties?

"We’re looking forward to having Mason back, fit again and well, so hopefully we can hit some form like we did toward the end of last season."

Greenwood scored 17 goals after establishing himself as a first-team regular last season but has just two in eight apperances this term after a difficult start to the season.

Solskjaer wants to see more goals from all of his attacking players after yet another game in which United required Fernandes to convert from the penalty spot in order to win.

"We've got plenty of quality and sometimes the most difficult thing is to keep it simple and sometimes today we wanted to overcomplicate things," he said.

"We want players to seize opportunity but we need more flow, rhythm, make the opposition move. It could have been simpler today.  

"I know the players have been away on international duty - we just had this morning to prepare for this game - so hopefully now we’ll have three or four months together.  

"And it's about sticking together, sticking to the way we want to play the game and improve every time.

"Defensively, we’re getting there, definitely. Working hard, closing down, not conceding many chances. We created enough chances to win this comfortably but we need to be more clinical."

United return to Champions League action on Tuesday night, welcoming Istanbul Basaksehir to Old Trafford, before travelling to St Mary’s to face Southampton on Sunday.

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