Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is pleading with Manchester United ownership for a striker with character, drive, and a fearless style of play.
Following Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Manchester City that wasn’t enough to secure advancement to the Carabao Cup final, Solskjaer was clear about what his team needs as the January transfer window comes to a close in the next few days.
[ RECAP: Man United wins, but Man City advances ]
“We need more goalscorers, more goals, someone who wants to break their nose or toe to score,” Solskjaer said after the match. “It doesn’t always have to be nice goals. I need to challenge them more.”
The need comes in the absence of starting striker Marcus Rashford who is out two to three months with a double stress fracture in his back. Solskjaer had Rashford playing through injury due to the lack of options at the club, and that seemed to backfire.
Midfielder Nemanja Matic scored the lone goal for Manchester United in the win over Man City, but the Red Devils could not get enough production to overcome an eventual 3-2 aggregate loss over the two legs, with Solskjaer admitting that Manchester United’s “quality wasn’t great.” In fact, Man City probably should have scored on at least two or three occasions, and Pep Guardiola said - somewhat fairly - after the match that “we were better.”
Manchester United does have young academy product Mason Greenwood at the ready up front, having performed incredibly well in domestic Cup competition. However, at just 18 years old and with very minimal top-flight experience he would be tough to rely on for an entire half-season. Greenwood started against Man City, but was hauled off at halftime in favor of winger Daniel James, with Anthony Martial moving into a more central striker role.