Manchester United have been famous over the years for their never giving up attitude and substitutes have played a key role in snatching away the team’s late goals.
Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, that hasn’t always been the case, as titles sell out and late-match drama becomes increasingly rare.
But under new manager Erik ten Hag, that could be changing in part due to a strong bench currently at his disposal and the manager’s ability to bring in the right staff when needed.
Submarines cause impact
United’s last five goals in all competitions have all been scored by substitutes. According to The Opta Analyst on Twitter, this is a new club record.
Man Utd’s last 5 competitive goals have come via substitutes. ️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
This is a club record in the Premier League era, surpassing the previous record of four in a row from February 1999, when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored four as a substitute in an 8-1 PL win over Nottm Forest. #MUFC
— The Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) October 6, 2022
Against Manchester City, Anthony Martial came on and scored twice in the closing stages of the match, while all three goals against Omonia Nicosia came via Marcus Rashford and Martial, both second-half substitutes.
Ten Hag was quick to mention their post-impact struggle. “All the subs had a really good impact,” he acknowledged Thursday night. “That is what I expect from the players on the bench. Every sub has to be ready and tonight is the best example you can get.”
According to their data, since the beginning of the Premier League, the previous mark of four goals was set by only one man – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Solskjaer had remarkably scored four strikes after coming on in United’s incredible 8-1 win at Nottingham Forest in February 1999.
ETH can fall back on quality when needed
United’s famous game changers from the bench include their former manager and another fan favorite in Javier Hernandez.
Solskjaer batted 29 after coming on 120 times during the Sir Alex Ferguson era, while Chicharito scored 17 times for the Reds.
Rashford is slowly getting the better of the Norwegian as he now has 20 goals to his name off the bench, while Martial has 15 goals in 75 secondary appearances.
When Solskjaer was boss, there was constant criticism of United’s lack of quality options from the bench. Very often, the Norwegian had to refrain from making substitutions due to the lack of quality on offer.
But under Ten Hag, United can call up different players depending on the situations in the match. The Red Devils now have players who can come in and change the outcome of the game on their own or stars who can come in and help watch the game when needed.
The Dutch boss can call on record goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo and the likes of the red-hot Martial when needed. And in terms of solidity in midfield, he has Casemiro and Fred on the bench.
Not to mention Ten Hag’s youthful options when it comes to Cup competitions. He is likely to give minutes to the extremely talented Alejandro Garnacho and the hungry Donny van de Beek.
Ten Hag has spoken many times about the need to have a strong squad and considering the hectic month of October leading up to the World Cup, substitutes will continue to play a crucial role.
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