Ten Hag defends impact of one-goal Weghorst

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has defended striker Wout Weghorst despite scoring just one goal since his loan move to Old Trafford.

Weghorst has started United’s last six games since arriving from Burnley in January but has found the net just once in the 3-0 over Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup semifinal first leg.

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The 30-year-old was substituted before the hour mark against Crystal Palace on Saturday but he has been backed by Ten Hag, who insists the Dutchman is playing well.

“He is the one who makes players around him play better,” Ten Hag told a news conference on Friday.

“As a team we have to work better to anticipate his movements because his movements are good, quite a lot of times he was close. He had many good actions and already a lot of good contributions to our results.

“He will score, but in the meantime do the other stuff, do it good. It is about not scoring individual but scoring from the team and the team has to win. He is doing a very good job at this moment in several aspects of football.”

Ten Hag has had to rely on Weghorst because of Anthony Martial‘s continued injury problems.

Martial has been ruled out of Wednesday’s Premier League match with Leeds United because of a hip problem — the 21st game he’s missed already this season.

The Frenchman has not completed 90 minutes in the Premier League for more than two years but Ten Hag insists he’s working hard to return to action.

“He is not always available, but also I see the other side when he is available, he was never 100 % this season but he had a big impact every time he is available, even when he is at 80, 85, 90%,” said the United manager.

“So we do everything and Anthony Martial is doing everything. I think Anthony Martial is the player who has spent the most hours at Carrington this season, to return to recover, to get back, it is really so a pity for him that he is disappointed.

“He is not always available and we want him to be always available because that will improve our game and because routines can’t become routines when you are not always available.”