LOUIS VAN GAAL is considering buying a striker in January after admitting he has left Manchester United short of fire power.
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| Man United boss Louis van Gaal regrets getting rid of Van Persie, Falcao and Hernandez |
Van Gaal's calculated summer gamble of releasing Robin van Persie, Javier Hernandez and Radamel Falcao has backfired, with United suffering from their worst goal shortage in the Premier League era.
They have managed only 22 goals in 19 League games and have failed to score on nine occasions in all competitions.
When asked if the lack of attacking options has placed too much of a burden on United's only recognised strikers Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial to deliver goals, Van Gaal said: "Maybe you are be right but that you cannot see in advance. The problem [lack of goals] can be solved with money but also on the training pitch.
"We are always looking for solutions. We are working on it in training but scoring goals is a quality. We have that quality but, at this moment, there is a lack of confidence at the right time. Or we need to buy another striker."
United accept they will be unable to prise Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku, Sadio Mane, Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez away from their clubs mid-season but have been linked with a move for Lazio's Felipe Anderson, Japansese striker Yoshinori Muto, who has impressed in his debut season with Mainz in the Bundesliga and Fulham youngster Moussa Dembele.
Bizarrely, Van Gaal does not like competition for places and offered that as an explanation why he sold Van Persie and Hernandez and did not take up the option to buy Falcao.
"I don't believe too much in competition," said Van Gaal. "I believe in trust and confidence. Maybe that is wrong but I have done it all my life as a manager. I give trust to the players who are in those positions.
"We could have kept all the strikers but then there would have been a lot of strikers in the tribune [stand]. They are not happy then. They want to go away. It is the story of Hernandez for example. He wants to play.
"Too many strikers of high quality for the same position means too much pressure but now I don't have the chance to change."
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| Swansea caretaker boss Alan Curtis has backed Ashley Williams to deal with Wayne Rooney |
Van Gaal blames bad luck and a lack of confidence for the shortage but boosted his attacking resources yesterday by recalling youngster Will Keane from his season-long loan spell at Preston.
United will attempt to end an eight game win-less run against bogey team Swansea at Old Trafford today and their caretaker manager Alan Curtis has backed Ashley Williams to lay down an early Euro 2016 marker against Rooney.
"Ash has got a big game mentality, he always has had," said Curtis. "He relishes challenges like this. Wayne has come in for a little bit of stick at United but he has been a great player and still is. They are both leaders and it will be a big tussle."
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