Manchester United already have £72m solution to their unwanted record

Erik ten Hag always predicted it would take a few weeks before Manchester United found their feet in the Premier League this season. After the staggered return of players to pre-season and a few key personnel side lined through injury, it is perhaps no surprise they have started the campaign with just one win from three matches.

The Dutchman often cites international breaks as a big disruptor to his side's preparations too. United will have 15 senior players away, playing under different managers and in different tactical set-ups for a fortnight, and it often takes a few days for them to get back up to speed when they return.

This international break might be an exception; more of a help than a hindrance, given it will allow some of those injured stars time to work up their fitness ahead of the Premier League's return next week. Rasmus Hojlund and Luke Shaw could both be back from injury, and Manuel Ugarte will finally be available having missed the dismal defeat to Liverpool.

In particular, the impending return of star striker Hojlund will be crucial for a United side that has set an unwanted record in his absence already. It might not feel like it, but United have already missed more big chances than any other side in the Premier League after three matches. Ten Hag's side have missed 9 big chances so far, with just two goals to their name. Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal, and Brentford have all missed 7, but it has been felt less for those clubs given they have all scored at least double the amount of goals in the process.

It is a similar story for United fans who have been crying out for a consistent goal scorer for several seasons now, but at least this time around there is a renewed belief they might have the solution.

After a mixed debut season at the club, Hojlund will be looking to hit the ground running on his return from injury and will do so with added experience and a little less pressure on his shoulders as well. He has already coped with the scrutiny of barren spells in front of the goal and has the self-belief that he can score against the very best defences in the division.

While the abundance of missed opportunities signifies the issues that remain under Ten Hag, they also point toward the huge potential for improvement. Not only will Hojlund offer more potency as a player in the forward line, he will give them a physical focal point they have been missing so far this season. In his absence, Joshua Zirkzee has struggled to play in an advanced role that doesn't match his skillset as a link-up player, while the change to a 4-2-2-2 formation has come with the sacrifice of a limited attacking threat.

In the first three matches, United have relied a lot on counter-attacks and wide players cutting inside to shoot at goal because they haven't had a predatory striker lurking between the posts in the box ready to get onto the end of crosses. Indeed, many of United's best chances this season have come from those crosses into the area, but without Hojlund, they haven't had anyone clinical enough to make them count.

What was so impressive about the 21-year-old's debut season was the variety of goals he scored for the club and the versatility he brought to the forward line while still clearly being a work in progress—his untapped potential mirrors that of the current United side.

Just about every player needs to improve after the international break, but with Hojlund's anticipated return, they will at least have someone capable of turning big chances into big goals.