• Premier League

Fergie: Welbeck drought partly my fault

ESPN staff
May 2, 2013
Since the arrival of Robin van Persie, Danny Welbeck has been moved to the Manchester United wing © PA Photos
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Sir Alex Ferguson has come to the defence of his goal-shy striker Danny Welbeck, saying it is partly his fault that the forward has stopped scoring and that he is not worried by his paltry goal tally.

Welbeck has only scored twice in his last 40 Manchester United games, with just one in the league all season and has been outscored by defenders Patrice Evra, Jonny Evans and Rafael da Silva.

But Ferguson believes that is partly because he has used the versatile England international on either wing and as a substitute more after the arrival of Robin Van Persie.

And the United manager feels Welbeck, who was United's second highest scorer last season, has the potential to become prolific again in the future.

"Last year he had 12 goals, this year he's only got two, so that's a big drop," Ferguson told Inside United.

"But that drop doesn't concern us because he still applies himself really well and still looks to score, still looks to get a chance and with that kind of courage he will eventually become a regular goalscorer.

"Maybe he doesn't appreciate us moving him around in various positions and we've maybe overused that because he is young.

"But his value to the club is there because I know he can do a job for me in any of those positions.

"It's a fantastic asset when you have a player who is as adaptable as that. But I think he will find his role through the middle once he gets that maturity and gets into a more consistent way of scoring."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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