Is Javier Hernandez destined to stay on the bench?

Javier Hernandez

The super-sub is a valuable commodity in football. Managers relish having that someone who can come off the bench and make an instant impact. For Manchester United perhaps the most famous super-sub was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but in the past few years at Old Trafford that mantle has been taken up by Javier Hernandez.

‘Chicharito’ has made a habit of starting on the sidelines only to score moments after being introduced on to the field. His one Premier League goal this season earned all three points for David Moyes’ side as he scored a late winner in the 3-2 win over Stoke, after coming on 13 minutes earlier. Four of his ten league strikes last season came in substitute appearances, while eight of them came in the second half.

But is Moyes missing out on a trick by not starting the Mexico striker ahead of either Robin van Persie or Wayne Rooney? There’s definitely an argument for giving the 25-year-old some regular game time, especially when he has the best shot accuracy of United’s three forwards.

In his 22 Premier League appearances last season, Hernandez’s shot accuracy was an impressive 63 per cent; higher than both Rooney and Van Persie. He also needs less time to register a strike. Last season his minutes per goal ratio was 95, while Van Persie’s was 120.

So far, then, it looks like Hernandez should definitely be popping up in the United starting XI more often. But while he is clinical in scoring goals, what he lacks compared to his fellow strikers is the ability to create them.

Rooney has moulded his own unique role at Old Trafford, filling the gap between midfield and attack, and creating chance after chance for Van Persie and his other team-mates. With four assists and 12 key passes in the Premier League this season, Rooney tops the creative chart for Manchester United.

Van Persie, meanwhile, is simply undroppable. With 26 Premier League goals last season, and seven in 10 games so far this term, it would be an incredible risk to leave him on the bench for a lengthy period, especially now United are hitting form.

The Netherlands striker also works incredibly hard, tracking back to cover and also providing extra aerial presence in defence and attack. In the win over Arsenal he didn’t just score the winner; he regularly slotted further back as the Gunners imposes themselves in midfield in their search for a winner.

What Moyes is more likely to do, then, is use Hernandez in other competitions. For example, he started United’s two games against Real Sociedad in the Champions League, but sadly couldn’t make an impression as the Red Devils only scored once in both matches.

It’s clear how talented a striker Hernandez is, but with Van Persie and Rooney the United attack has several dimensions and can boast two world-class players. The Mexican isn’t quite reaching those lofty standards yet, but Moyes knows he can rely on his third striker when called upon.