Manchester United star ends 1,231-day goal drought

Manchester United once measured their stars in trophies, not droughts.

Sir Alex Ferguson could call upon Eric Cantona, Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo across different eras.

Goals were not merely expected at Old Trafford; they became part of the furniture.

The years since have been less forgiving.

United have repeatedly searched for a reliable source of goals, with even expensive attacking arrivals enduring barren spells.

Rasmus Hojlund knows that feeling particularly well.

During his first campaign in England, the Dane waited until Boxing Day for his maiden Premier League goal, having gone 14 league appearances without scoring.

United’s current side has again struggled for attacking fluency at times, although Michael Carrick possesses considerable firepower through Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Marcus Rashford.

Yet one United player has quietly been becoming increasingly adventurous himself.

Manchester United star finally finds the net

Noussair Mazraoui ended a remarkable 1,231-day goal drought on Friday evening, scoring for Morocco against Gabon.

The Manchester United right-back broke the deadlock in the 36th minute, collecting the ball outside the penalty area following a corner before drilling a right-footed effort into the bottom-right corner.

It was his first goal for club or country since scoring for Bayern Munich against Schalke in May 2023.

Perhaps the warning signs were already there at Old Trafford.

In United’s 4-0 Champions League victory over Sabah FK earlier this month, Mazraoui remarkably attempted four shots.

That was the joint-highest total of any United player, level with Cunha, despite Mazraoui starting at right-back.

None were on target, but the willingness to attack was unmistakable.

His shooting volume has therefore caught the eye in recent weeks, even if goals have never been central to his game.

Against Gabon, one finally flew in.

For a player whose work is normally measured in tackles, interceptions and progression from deep, it was a rare entry onto the scoresheet – and the end of a wait stretching more than three years.