Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has shifted blame away from strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee over a lack of goals this season, putting some of the “responsibility” for the pair’s struggles onto himself and others throughout the team.
Hojlund has netted only once in his last 14 Premier League appearances. For Zirkzee, his brace against Everton on 1 December has been his only goalscoring appearance in the competition since a heroic debut way back in August. Between them, they have five league goals in 41 combined games.
United’s winning goal against Fulham on Sunday was scored by Martinez, who has started to thrive in an attacking sense due to Ruben Amorim’s system affording him the freedom to get forward.
But the Argentine has admitted United midfielders, wingers and defenders need to be better by their strikers, although it also cannot be a one-way street.
“Absolutely, we take the responsibility. I think we played many long balls to [Hojlund and Zirkzee], and for sure it’s tough for them, especially because they fight against two centre-backs. The centre-backs here in the Premier League are really difficult,” Martinez told reporters.
“[Hojlund and Zirkzee] have to do better as well. They are really good players, but I think we have to continue [to do] more, and put them in better spaces on the pitch. We have to find them in the right places, dangerous places, to make them score.”
Hojlund has fared considerably better in European competition this season, netting five in seven Europa League appearances. It was a similar pattern for the Dane in Europe last season, scoring five times in the Champions League before he’d netted once in the Premier League.
Hojlund scored 16 times in all competitions for United in 2023/24, while Zirkzee got 12 – as well as seven assists – for former club Bologna across Serie A and the Coppa Italia.