Manchester United haven’t had a bad start to the season, if you look at the league table. But in most games this season they’ve dominated possession only to lack a penetrative element in the final third.

It’s something that has angered Manchester United fans and ex-players alike about Louis Van Gaal’s team, they’ve had all the possession, but they don’t bomb forward in search of a goal, and if they do they get picked off on the counter.

The answer seems to be to take the chances they make, but they’ve found that tough under Van Gaal. Their team includes England’s all-time top scorer Wayne Rooney, who isn’t far off breaking the record of Manchester United’s top scorer Sir Bobby Charlton, and new boy Anthony Martial, who may well be the man to grab the goals for the Red Devils this season, but that remains to be seen.

If United are stuck for goalscorers in January, one of these six players may well be who they should look to to turn their attacks into goals…

Mauro Icardi

An excellent finisher. Louis Van Gaal has been moaning all season about the fact that Manchester United dominate games but the opposition simply runs up the other end and scores. If that’s the case, then United need to be more ruthless about taking their chances.

Anthony Martial’s finishing ability already looks like it’s going to be good, and although Wayne Rooney is an outstanding attacking player, he’s not the out-and-out striker United need to finish off their passing moves. Mauro Icardi would give them something different – Martial has the pace and explosivity. Rooney has the tenacity and skill but drops too deep. Icardi will stay up front, be in position, be strong against defenders allowing him to get his pass away, and put the ball into the net when he gets the chance. He’d add something else to the team whilst potentially solving the problem Van Gaal has been bemoaning.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Would give United something completely different. Although Martial has pace, he doesn’t have Aubameyang pace. He has also looked classy in possession in his two games for Manchester United.

The only worry about bringing in someone like Aubameyang is that he is so dangerous on the counter- except, Manchester United don’t tend to play on the counter. Still, Van Gaal was adamant that he had to bring in pacey and direct player, but failed to land Pedro. If he’s still serious about needing that kind of player – even with Martial at the club – then he could do worse than Aubameyang.

Gonzalo Higuain

Napoli have been out of the Champions League for two season now, but have still managed to keep hold of their big star Higuain. He was linked with both United and Arsenal in the summer, but it was perhaps his prohibitively large price tag that stopped either club from sealing his signature.

For United, though, he would bring something new to their attack. Rooney and Martial have varied qualities, but neither brings the combination of strength and explosivity that Higuain possesses, and United’s problem this season has been that final piece of penetration needed to turn their possession dominance into goals – Higuain might be just what they need on that front.

Gareth Bale

If Manchester United really did try to sign Gareth Bale this summer, then why not try again in January – or maybe more likely next summer? Personally speaking, I’m not sure I’d want to swap Madrid for Manchester, but United are probably the only team in the world with enough cash to wave under his nose to make that move tempting.

Bale isn’t exactly a striker, but if I were to buy him for any team other than Real Madrid – or Barcelona – I’d play him there. He has all the attributes that Cristiano Ronaldo has, and if he got the chance to start as the striker rather than the wide player, then I’m sure he’d score more goals. He’s a player you can build your team around, and if you’re going to do that, then playing him out wide is a waste.

Graziano Pelle

Pelle is a type of player United don’t have. He’s so big and strong but he is also so very silky on the ball. Used as a target man, he can trap the ball and pass it expertly. His movement is wonderful and he’s a threat in the air.

This season, Marouane Fellaini has yet again been used as a lone striker for Manchester United. Van Gaal seems hell bent on playing direct, high balls up to Fellaini in the air, and against Liverpool Fellaini had all the grace of a giraffe on roller skates. Put Pelle up there and Van Gaal’s route one will seem classy even if it isn’t! He’s proven in the Premier League and would surely only improve the Manchester United team.

Edinson Cavani

United would have to spend big to sign him. But then again, they did pay a potential €80m for a 19 year-old in Martial. So, like a knife-wielding maniac robbing a bank, you just don’t know what they’re capable of.

Cavani is regarded across world football as one of its top strikers and he would grace any team. But at PSG right now, Cavani has been relegated to playing on one of the sides of a 4-3-3 formation, instead of being placed up front where he belongs. How long will he be happy playing second fiddle to Zlatan Ibrahimovic? And does this mean United could get him cheaper than usual? Perhaps he’s worth a bid!