Manchester United’s struggles in front of goal this season have been glaringly apparent. Despite switching managers halfway through the season, United have been anything but clinical in the final third.
For former Manchester United defender and club legend Paul Parker, the solution lies not in chasing another superstar with a hefty price tag, but in bringing in a player with the grit, desire, and raw hunger that the current squad is sorely lacking.
Parker, who lifted two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and a League Cup during his time at Old Trafford, believes that Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap could be exactly the type of player United need to reignite their forward line.
Paul Parker: 'Liam Delap reminds me of a young Mark Hughes'
“Manchester United are crying out for a young and hungry centre forward, and I would take Liam Delap all day long,” Parker tells FourFourTwo, speaking via the home of FUT coins. “He’s a fabulous player. I love his work ethic, the fact that he’s never beaten, and he’s desperate to prove himself and has a burning desire to score goals.”
United’s attacking output this season has been among their lowest in the Premier League era, with their forward line often looking static, predictable, and short of ideas. United have struggled to break down organised defences and have looked short of ideas.
Parker, who made over 100 appearances for United between 1991 and 1996, sees Delap as the perfect antidote to United’s attacking woes. After joining Ipswich from Manchester City on a permanent basis last summer, the 21-year-old forward has shown himself to be a tireless worker, constantly looking to press defenders and create chaos in the opposition box.
“He wants to run past people, make unselfish runs and turn the bad into the good,” Parker continues. “Liam Delap reminds me of a young Mark Hughes, and he’s not afraid to put himself about. A bit of a Mark Hughes trademark.”
Comparisons to Hughes, a United great renowned for his physicality, bravery, and spectacular goals, represent high praise from Parker.
What also excites Parker is Delap’s refusal to conform to the rigid, possession-based style often drilled into players at elite academies. Despite his Manchester City upbringing, Delap is a player with his own style.
“Delap has his own ways of doing things, willing to improvise things and do it his own way,” Parker says. “A bit like Cole Palmer or Morgan Rogers. These players that came through Man City are a bit more alternative to typical players and are willing to think for themselves and play more instinctively.
“The game used to be flooded with players like that in my time, but we’ve lost it now. Today’s footballers are too systematic and can’t do something off their own back, not willing to put themselves out there and be brave, but Delap is.”
For Parker, the message to United’s hierarchy is clear. Instead of chasing another marquee name, the club should focus on players like Delap, who possess the raw qualities United once prided themselves on.
“The club needs players who are desperate to make a name for themselves at the highest level,” Parker concludes. “Liam Delap is that player. He would give United something they’ve been missing for a long time.”
