Patrick Dorgu has explained what Rúben Amorim instructed his Manchester United players to do once Benjamin Šeško came on against Fulham.
Manchester United secured their first Premier League points of the campaign with a 1-1 draw against Fulham on Sunday afternoon.
Matheus Cunha struck the post within minutes of kick-off and tested the goalkeeper on several occasions as Fulham started strongly, though the hosts also threatened at the other end.
United had a golden chance to break the deadlock when Mason Mount was fouled at a corner, but Bruno Fernandes sent his penalty high over the crossbar.
Rúben Amorim turned to his bench early in the second half, introducing Benjamin Šeško and Diogo Dalot, and the visitors soon went ahead through a deflected Leny Yoro header. Fulham, however, found their equaliser with 20 minutes left as Emile Smith-Rowe finished off a well-worked move.
Both sides pushed for a winner, with Harry Maguire and Bryan Mbeumo coming closest late on, but the points were ultimately shared in West London.
Amorim wants United crossing more
In the opening few minutes against Fulham, United, and in particular Cunha, had a lot of joy breaking through the heart of Fulham’s defence, but once Marco Silva sured his side up, United found it hard to create chances.
As was the story against Arsenal, United created chances but failed to convert, something Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu explained after the game.
“Yeah, we had a lot of big chances today, and we’re unlucky not to score more than one goal,” Dorgu commented to club media following the draw.
With United searching for an opener, Amorim chose to throw on 6’5″ Šeško in the second half, and when asked what the instruction was, Dorgu explained that the head coach had asked his team to put more crosses in the area.
“Yeah, we tried to put more crosses in the box,” the Dane explained. “We needed more players in there, and I feel like we got a lot of crosses in there, a lot of set pieces, and what’s led to the goal as well.”
With Šeško set to start as United’s main centre-forward this campaign once he is more settled in Manchester, Amorim’s men must look to become more clinical with their crossing.
United need to keep looking forward
While United’s opening goal eventually came from Mbeumo’s cross from a corner that found Yoro in the box, they were not accurate enough, with only ten of their attempted 30 crosses finding a teammate.
However, Dorgu was quick to explain that he and his teammates need to bounce back and keep looking forward. United face Grimsby Town in the second round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening.
“Yeah, we need to bounce back quickly, and we need to win that game and hopefully move on in that competition,” Dorgu explained.
After a 1-0 loss against Arsenal and a 1-1 draw against Fulham, Amorim will be hoping his side can secure their first win of the season.
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