Manchester United still short in attack as they bid to appease frustrated fans

After an awful start against Crystal Palace, Solskjaer needs to find some answers at Brighton

Crystal Palace's Andros Townsend scores his side's opening goal in their 3-1 victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford, a dreadful start to United's Premier League season. AP

Crystal Palace midfielder Andros Townsend celebrates scoring the opener. AFP

Crystal Palace's Jordan Ayew shoots at goal but his effort is saved by Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea. PA

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson watches from the touchline. AFP

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba holds his boot as he talks to referee Martin Atkinson after he went down in the box. AFP

Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha runs at United defender Victor Lindelof. Reuters

Palace's Wilfried Zaha scores their third goal. Reuters

Palace's Wilfried Zaha celebrates with Cheikhou Kouyate after scoring their third. Reuters

Manchester United striker Anthony Martial under pressure from Crystal Palace's James McCarthy. AFP

Manchester United's Marcus Rashford wins a header. PA

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. PA

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire holds off Crystal Palace's Andros Townsend. AFP

Manchester United's Anthony Martial controls the ball. AFP

Manchester United substitute Mason Greenwood (R) heads a chance wide. AFP

Referee Martin Atkinson checks the VAR display screen before awarding Crystal Palace a penalty. Getty

Manchester United substitute Donny van de Beek celebrates scoring on his debut. Reuters

Palace's Jordan Ayew after having a penalty saved, although a VAR review then leads to Crystal Palace retaking the penalty and scoring through Wilfried Zaha. Getty

Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha scores from the spot. PA

Dwight Yorke was at Manchester United’s training ground this week, schooling the club’s under 23 players in the art of goalscoring.

A finisher of his quality was sorely needed in United's opening league defeat to Crystal Palace and while United's young forward line is impressive and improving, there is an over reliance on it.

It would also look short if any of the established three of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford or Mason Greenwood became injured.

Striker Odion Ighalo will return to China once his loan spell ends in January and Dan James needs to get his form back, while manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been hoping to bring in Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund, but there’s an impasse over the fee.

United also hope that their one new signing Donny van de Beek can act as a second striker and the attacking talents of Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba contribute, but the team needs strengthening up front ahead of an intense period of football which includes the Champions League.

Brighton and Hove Albion are the next opponents in the Premier League and despite United first playing the Seagulls more than 100 years ago, they didn’t actually have a match in Brighton until 1980 and have only contested nine away games there in their entire history. By next Wednesday when the two meet in the League Cup, that will be 11, with three of those games coming in a three-month period in 2020.

United’s 3-0 win at the Amex on June 30 was their most impressive in the post lockdown period with two goals from Fernandes and one from Greenwood. It partially made up for the dreadful defeats of the two previous seasons there under Jose Mourinho.

United’s record at home to Brighton is better with ten wins and two draws from 12 games, but Saturday’s game is a big one. A second consecutive league defeat and the mood will further darken among fans frustrated that only one signing has arrived so far in the transfer window.

United's best and worst kits

MANCHESTER UNITED BEST: 5) 1992-94 third kit: I hold my hands up here, this is allowing heart to rule over the head. A half-and-half yellow and green top feels wrong and even the Gallic flair of Eric Cantona or good looks of Lee Sharpe could not pull it off. But the colours - first worn by Newton Heath, the club that would go on to become Manchester United - have since been adopted by fans to protest about American owners the Glazers and so this is handed an emotive free pass out of worst kits. Getty

4) 1996/97 home: A fine United home kit from Umbro, with faded white to black collar, badge moved to middle of the strip and smart dark patterns on the arms. A strip that inspired a young David Beckham to score from the half-way line against Wimbledon at Selhurst Park on the opening day of the season. Getty

3) 2018/19 away: A turbulent season for the club, as moaning Jose Mourinho’s reign as manager came to an end and the team’s home kit disgracefully flouted club traditions (see worst kits). But this subtle pink number from Adidas at least provided some respite during troubled times. Getty

2) 1994-1996 home: Another wonderful home shirt that is only kept off the top spot by an absolute belter. This is Cantona back from his ban for kung-fu kicking a fan with his collar raised up and ruling the Premier League. Even Steve Bruce and his bent nose looked good. Umbro’s call to have an image of Old Trafford imprinted onto the shirt was a genius one. Allsport

1) 1992-1994 home: One of the all-time great football kits. Everything about this Umbro effort screams class; from the lace-up collar to the black and red socks. The days of tiny shorts were also rightly coming to a close as United adopted an old-school longer length with attractive red pattern on one side. As United won the inaugural Premier League season - their first top-flight title in 26 years - they also produced a game-changing fashion item. Allsport

WORST: 5) 2009/10 home: A stain on the fine traditions of United home kits. The weird black arrow across the top points to the floor and it’s certainly a thumbs down for this Nike blunder. Getty

4) 2018/19 home: Dark times for United and an act of sacrilege committed here from Adidas. All seems fine and dandy at the top of this strip until black stripes appear across the top’s midriff before trampling all over club tradition by substituting white shorts ... FOR BLACK ONES. Such was the shock of this treachery that it sent manager Jose Mourinho into his miserable ‘Emo phase’ before being sacked. Getty

3) 1994-96 third kit: A variety of blue designs dominate United’s top three. Slight echoes of the infamous Brighton debacle from a couple of years earlier with a blue and white striped top and matching shorts combination. Stripes on shorts … honestly. Allsport

2) 1992-93 away: Another shocker from Umbro. This all blue effort is covered with a black kind of tie dye pattern and finished off by a ludicrous over-sized United badge. Alamy

1) 1990-92 away: An infamous abstract eyesore from the start of the 90s. Another one of these hideous old kits that has apparently now gained a cult following. But, let’s be honest, good things rarely come out of joining a cult. Getty

Given their form, a Brighton triumph would not be a complete shock since they have won their last three games convincingly without conceding a goal. Two have been against lower division sides in the League Cup, but last Saturday’s 3-0 victory at Newcastle was as impressive as United’s 1-3 home defeat against Crystal Palace was unimpressive.

Tactically, Brighton played a 3-4-3 formation at Newcastle, switching to five at the back when they defended. United struggle to break down teams who defend deep and did throughout much of last season when they had a better record against the best teams, though Solskjaer felt his side were much better in this respect after lockdown.

The National asked Solskjaer ahead of the trip to the South Coast if he was happy with the way his team performed against opponents who defend deep.

“I wasn’t happy with the way we defended against Palace,” said the Norwegian.

“We weren’t ready, we weren’t ready to play at the intensity that we needed, the quality. The runs weren’t there but after the restart in June, I thought we had taken big strides.

"Once in a while one game lives its own life and the Palace one was a very disappointing one. I’m still confident that we can break teams down with our quality, but we need more imagination.”

Not only do United find certain teams problematic, they also falter when they go behind, as football pundit Ashley Westwood, a former Youth Cup winner with United, explains.

“United play 4-2-3-1 and struggle against teams who sit off deep and play 4-4-2. Teams like Palace or Burnley sit back when they go ahead, they defend deep in two blocks of four and don’t leave the space which United’s forwards need and thrive off.

“United look more dangerous on the turnover of possession, on the counter. But Manchester United at home to Crystal Palace are not going to be a counter attacking team.

"It’s about trying to get the ball between the lines, which is why they signed Bruno Fernandes, but last week you had United’s midfielders almost sitting on top of the Palace back four. It was all fairly comfortable for Palace. You need to move the ball quickly and be a bit cuter, but you also want opponents to attack you to free up space.”

The Palace game underlined what teams have to do to beat United – and what United have to do to turn things around. Two intriguing encounters await.