Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Rasmus Hojlund, and Alejandro Garnacho have all scored eight Premier League goals this season. The firepower has been rendered ineffective.

Manchester United have struggled to find the back of the net this season, with only Sheffield United and Burnley scoring less goals in the league.

Erik ten Hag’s attackers have let him down this season, and Scott McTominay, who was free to leave the club in the summer, has been the team’s main threat. McTominay has five league goals, including two braces against Brentford and Chelsea.

McTominay gained six points on his own with those goals – his effect against Brentford was especially important – and United would be in the bottom half of the standings without them.

You’d have to bet big money on Rashford, Martial, Hojlund, and Garnacho scoring just eight league goals by the end of the season, and those players need to contribute more if results are to improve.

Cole Palmer, who is only 21 years old and in his first complete season at senior level, has scored eight league goals for Chelsea, highlighting how ineffective the attackers in red have been.

United have won 10 league games, with nine of those victories coming by a single goal. United’s only other victory by a larger margin came in a 3-0 victory over Everton at Goodison Park.

Following a contentious points deduction, there was optimism in the Everton camp that they may secure a result against United in November, but Garnacho’s astonishing early goal silenced the fans.

It could have been a different game if Garnacho hadn’t scored in the first few minutes, completely knocking the stuffing out of the Toffees and leaving them unable to recover.

Rashford scored his second goal of the season in that game after regular penalty taker Bruno Fernandes threw him the ball in the hopes of instilling some much-needed confidence in him.

Rashford’s form has plummeted after scoring 30 goals in all competitions and having the best season of his career, and he’s only scored three league goals after just grabbing another.

Rashford had seven league goals and had been terrific for England at the World Cup in Qatar at this point last year, and his failure to replicate those levels has been a part in the team’s troubles.

Rashford has received harsh but justified criticism for his performances, but his offensive teammates have been similarly underwhelming, and it is anticipated that the strikers will be able to shake off their early season blunders in 2024.

United’s first game of the new year comes in the FA Cup against Wigan Athletic, who are near the bottom of League One, so Monday’s encounter at the DW Stadium is ripe for goals.

Wigan have conceded three goals in the last few weeks against Port Vale and two against Reading, both of which are in the bottom half of the third division.

A cup game is always going to give a unique challenge, and there should be a sizable home audience for the match, but United have no excuse not to thrash a failing team.

The FA Cup is the sole possibility for silverware this season, and Ten Hag intends to field a good team. Garnacho, Hojlund, and Rashford should start, and they should take advantage of the opportunity.

United have not won by more than three goals throughout Ten Hag’s tenure, and a win by four against Wigan would give the forwards confidence going forward, should they score.

They’ve received a lot of flak this season, and it won’t stop until they start scoring more.