MANCHESTER UNITED’S MISFIRING attack will face another test of its goalscoring credentials when they travel to AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League on Thursday, days after spluttering to a drab draw with Arsenal.
United coach and former striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer watched in frustration as his side squandered opportunities to kill off the Gunners when a goal up on Monday, only for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to pounce and snatch a point with his only real chance of the game.
Solskjaer also has a burgeoning injury crisis on his hands, with Paul Pogba aggravating a foot injury at Old Trafford meaning he has been left out of the short trip to the Netherlands.
The World Cup winner joins forward Anthony Martial and defenders Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw, Ashley Young and Phil Jones as confirmed absentees.
Since their 4-0 thrashing of Chelsea on the opening day of the Premier League campaign, Solskjaer’s struggling side have failed to score more than once in any match, and they will likely find Alkmaar a tough nut to crack.
Thursday’s clash, being played in The Hague after the roof at Alkmaar’s home ground the AFAS Stadion collapsed last month, will also provide an indication as to who will top Group L, with solid Alkmaar flying high in the Netherlands.
Alkmaar are third in the Eredivisie, just a point behind leaders Ajax and PSV Eindhoven — who take on Rosenborg in Group D — thanks in large part to a defence that has let in just three goals in eight league matches since the start of the campaign.
They also came away with a creditable draw at Partizan Belgrade last time out, while group leaders United huffed and puffed before squeezing past Astana.
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