Ralf Rangnick admits Cristiano Ronaldo 'should score more goals'

Ralf Rangnick has admitted Cristiano Ronaldo "should score more goals" for Manchester United - but insists his team's struggles in front of goal are down to all of United's offensive players.

The Red Devils have taken 52 shots in the last two games against Middlesbrough and Burnley, scoring just twice, and have gone out of the FA Cup and dropped points to the bottom team in the Premier League in the process.

Ronaldo missed a penalty against Boro and was a late substitute at Turf Moor, and he has now gone five games without scoring a goal.

Questionable defending in both matches let United's opponents back into the game, but Rangnick insisted ahead of Saturday's game against Southampton at Old Trafford that Ronaldo is not the only one to blame - even if he did seem to set a challenge to the 37-year-old.

"It's not only about Cristiano Ronaldo," Rangnick said.

"He should score more goals, it's obvious, I think we are creating enough chances and enough opportunities in the last couple of games but we just didn't score enough goals, but this is not only an issue with Cristiano, it's an issue with the other players, especially the offensive players. We don't score enough goals.

"If you bear in mind how many chances we create, and this is also something that needs to get better in the next couple of weeks. At Burnley, in 70 of those 90 minutes, it was very, very, very close to the game plan we spoke before the game and now it's about rewarding ourselves and also getting the results we should deserve."

Harry Maguire was at fault for the equaliser at Burnley, and criticism for the club captain has inevitably followed. But Rangnick refused to pin blame on the England international solely.

"I think he had an outstanding game game West Ham. We could have defended transitional moments better at Burnley, but the rest of our defence was not really good. We should not have allowed the counter-attack to happen.

"Harry was injured, came back and had a very good game against West Ham. [I'm] sure he can perform like that tomorrow."


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Source : 90min