Manchester United stars Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes have shown Erik ten Hag that they are capable of adding goals from midfield, after he called on his squad to help shoulder the responsibility of scoring before the World Cup break.
United's tally of 20 goals in 14 Premier League matches this season means that Chelsea (17) are the only team in the top half of the table to have found the net on fewer occasions than Ten Hag's side. Marcus Rashford currently leads the way for the Reds in the league with four goals, with new signing Antony one behind the England international with three.
Although the need for a striker is very apparent, the forward players have been left to their own devices this season when it comes to scoring. United's midfielders only have a handful of Premier League goals between them, with Fernandes (two), Fred (one), Casemiro (one) and Christian Eriksen (one) being the only members of the squad to register a goal who do not play as a winger or striker.
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It therefore would have come as a huge relief for Ten Hag when both Casemiro and Fernandes (twice) found the net for Brazil and Portugal respectively while in Qatar.
Casemiro scored against Switzerland in the group stages with a searing outside-of-the-foot strike in the 83rd minute to claim all three points for the Selecao. Although not his primary role, the Brazilian's strike reminded United of the versatility he can offer upon his return to Old Trafford.
Fernandes meanwhile scored both goals for Portugal during their 2-0 win over Uruguay, sealing their place in the knockout stages with a game to spare. The United midfielder was inches away from adding another during their quarter-final defeat to Morocco, as his dipping volley hit the crossbar.
Before the World Cup break, Ten Hag knew just how important it was for his midfield to share the goalscoring output in his side.
He said: “In my teams there are players who will score. They come in the position [to score] and in the last part it’s also about the freedom from the player.
“I think we have in our squad the players who can score that number of goals. But they get also divided because we have many goal scorers across the whole department, but I think you need also something from the midfield and defending department [too].”
The Dutchman will therefore be pleased to see both Fernandes and Casemiro finding the back of the net, as they look to take the pressure off Rashford and co. Rashford also showed his goalscoring prowess in Qatar, and although more is expected from a forward, the Three Lions ace also took the Dutchman's advice to be more clinical in his stride.
Before the World Cup, Ten Hag had called on the 25-year-old to be more ruthless in front of goal. "He knows that he has to be more clinical and he had to score a goal," the United manager said. "When you have such good movements and make such good combinations, good actions, then you have to finish.
"I know sometimes it's the game, it's not your night and it's about the form of the day, but it can change in another game. I think he's on a really good run, that shows in the chances he creates."
Rashford registered three goals during England's World Cup campaign, joint top for Gareth Southgate's side with Bukayo Saka, as he showed Ten Hag just how clinical he can be.
United's lack of goals, especially from midfield, was undoubtedly one of the Dutchman's main concerns heading into the break. Yet Ten Hag may have just been given a reason to be optimistic.
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