Profligate United worry Fergie March 18 2008
Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that Manchester United's profligacy in front of goal is "becoming a concern".
After a slow start to the new season, the Premier League champions were banging in goals on a regular basis domestically and in Europe.
But recently the Red Devils have struggled to replicate their rich goal-scoring vein, with only Cristiano Ronaldo managing to find the target twice in their last three games in all competitions.
United squandered a number of good chances in their 1-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Portsmouth, while they were again wasteful against Derby at the weekend before Ronaldo came to the rescue with the only goal of the game at Pride Park.
Ferguson has warned his players that they need to take their chances in front of goal or stand the risk of slipping up in the title race to Arsenal and Chelsea, who are breathing down their necks.
"The missed chances are becoming a concern," Fergie said in the Daily Star.
"We were really charitable against Portsmouth and against Derby. It's a sticky spell in front of goal that we must get over.
"Against Derby, we made it hard for ourselves because we missed so many chances. It turned into a real battle and it shouldn't have been."
The league leaders welcome struggling Bolton to Old Trafford on Wednesday as they look to open the gap on the Gunners to three points and Ferguson is urging his charges to put pressure on the chasing pack ahead of Sunday's crunch clash with bitter rivals Liverpool.
The Scot added: "There are important games coming up. We want to start taking our chances.
"We want to drive home our advantage at the top of the league by winning our game in hand."