Man Utd have attacking advantage in Europa League

Manchester United might be fearing the worst as they go into a match-day without the help of their two first-choice strikers at the club, but they actually have a key attacking advantage as they prepare to face LASK in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Even in the absence of leading scorer Marcus Rashford there has been no shortage of goals recently. Yes, many of them have come with thanks to Anthony Martial, but throughout the side United have unlocked a fresh attacking threat.

Not only have United embarked on an incredible ten match unbeaten run since Rashford has been out of the team but they have utilised an entire squad of players to fill the gap left by their top marksman.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insisted both Rashford and Martial would have the adequate firepower to replace Romelu Lukaku this season, while the continued rise of Mason Greenwood would help supplement any short-comings. For all three to be experiencing their best ever scoring seasons is testament to his faith.

However, it is the fact goals have come throughout the side which will best please the United manager. Harry Maguire finally broke his drought and has netted two goals since the start of the year, while even Diogo Dalot netted his first for the club in the thrashing of Tranmere in January.

When you add the goals from Jesse Lingard, Phil Jones and Luke Shaw in recent weeks it is startling to realise there have been 12 different scorers since Rashford suffered his injury in January. Martial has the most in that time with five, while January additions Bruno Fernandes and Odion Ighalo both already have three.

No team has had more different goalscorers in the Europa League this season than United with 10 - that's as many individual scorers as the club had when they last conquered Europe under Jose Mourinho three years ago.

It bodes well ahead of a trip to face LASK on Thursday night, too. Injuries to Martial, Rashford and Pogba have been unfortunate, but it is credit to Solskjaer that United continue to battle on in defiance. You only have to look at the horror show at Tottenham to see what a few key injuries can do to a team, but United have somehow managed to get even better.

Bolstered by the knowledge they have yet to lose versus an Austrian team in European competition (W7 D1) - it is a sense of optimism United fans should be filled with on Thursday evening. In fact, United have lost just one of their last 19 matches in the Europa League, also winning seven and drawing four of their 11 knockout stage games in this run, including the 2017 final vs Ajax.

The task of winning away from home is made harder for United without their two leading scorers this season, but in the last two months Solskjaer's side have proven they are a far more complex attacking threat than some critics would have it made out to be.