Former Arsenal star Ian Wright has advised Manchester United players that penalty takers should be decided before the game begins.
The Red Devils have been having quite a few issues off late and strangely enough one of them is based on deciding which player is responsible for tucking away the penalties. Against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford were arguing on the pitch as to who would be the likely candidate to take the spot-kick but as the Frenchman earned the penalty he stepped up to take it. But Rui Patricio produced a splendid save to share the spoils at the Molineaux Stadium.
The following week, United were awarded a penalty against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford when they were trailing 1-0 against the Eagles but this time Marcus Rashford stepped up only to see his effort smash the post. United lost the game 2-1 and it costs the Red Devils quite dear.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claimed after the game that United have two penalty takers and when either Pogba or Rashford feel more confident, they can decide who takes the spot-kick on the pitch. But ex-Arsenal forward Ian Wright has gone on to claim that the penalty takers should be decided before the game rather than during the 90 minutes.
The former England international said,” It’s got to come down to the manager to tell them who’s going to take the penalty. When you’re on the pitch and a penalty comes around you don’t want two players over it, that’s indecisive. I think he [Rashford] was too definite with it – he really put the pace on it, there was added pressure on him, absolutely there was. If there wasn’t, he wouldn’t have missed.”
