Man Utd co-owners INEOS told they made key summer transfer mistake by BBC pundits
New Man Utd co-owners INEOS have been told that they have made one key mistake in the summer transfer market after the Red Devils drew 0-0 against Crystal Palace.
Erik ten Hag’s side dominated the first half, limiting the hosts to just one shot on target from Ebere Eze shortly before the break.
Crystal Palace regrouped for the second half, when Dean Henderson made perhaps his best stop of the evening, a leaping save to deny Alejandro Garnacho, who started over Marcus Rashford.
It was then Andre Onana’s turn to make the highlights package as he first denied Eddie Nketiah then substitute Ismaila Sarr’s follow-up from close range, a double save hailed by the Man Utd manager as “brilliant”.
The contest was more eventful than the scoreline ultimately suggested, with six shots on target and 15 overall for the visitors to four and nine respectively from the hosts.
But the match highlighted Ten Hag’s need for a clinical striker to take chances with young Netherlands international Joshua Zirkee their main signing at the top end of the pitch in the summer.
And BBC pundits Danny Murphy and Ashley Williams both agreed that it was a big oversight from Man Utd not to include a proven striker on their list of targets over the summer transfer window.
Speaking on Match of the Day, Murphy told Gary Lineker: “I think they made some decent signings defence but they didn’t address the shortage of goals.
“They scored joint lowest amount of goals in the top half last season and they bought in Zirkzee, the only attacking player who is a young lad and not a goalscorer.”
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And Williams agreed with Murphy’s assessment, he added: “Is Zirkzee going to get you 20 goals a season? He’s the only attacking addition. That’s what they were lacking last season. Palace were there for the taking. United actually played really well.
“They ended up nearly losing the game! It’s going to be the same thing as last season. Who’s going to score goals for them?”
Man Utd boss Ten Hag felt that “the only thing I can criticise is we were not clinical enough in the box, not decisive enough.”
But asked if, in retrospect, Marcus Rashford might have found the finishing touch on one of his side’s missed opportunities, the boss replied: “I have to say Amad (Diallo) is playing good, Garnacho, all the games so far, apart from maybe Liverpool, he has end product.
“We have to play them as well.”
