“This is an area in which they’re massively under-achieving” – Martin Keown tells Manchester United to fix ‘key’ problem to secure top-4 finish

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown believes Manchester United must work on their corners if they wish to finish in the top four. The Red Devils are the only team in the Premier League this season who are yet to score from a corner.

United are currently engaged in a tight race to finish in the Premier League top four. They sit in sixth position with Arsenal, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur all lurking close.

United's set-piece struggles come as a big surprise, considering the specialists they have. Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw can whip in good corners, while Harry Maguire, Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane are all very capable in the air.

Keown wrote in the Daily Mail:

"Manchester United’s set-piece struggles are nothing new. Previous manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer identified this as a problem, so much so that he hired a specialist set-piece coach called Eric Ramsay to try to improve them."

Keown also talked about the capable set-piece players United have. He went on to add that it could be a big factor in their push for the top four, writing:

"When you consider the players United have at their disposal, this is an area in which they’re massively under-achieving. They’ve got more than capable deliverers of the ball in Luke Shaw and Bruno Fernandes, and they have prime targets in the box in Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo, among others."

Keown added:

"Despite this, United remain the only Premier League side yet to score from a corner this season. This is a key area which United need to address. Start scoring from set pieces, and their chances of a Premier League top-four finish will greatly improve."

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Manchester United face tricky Premier League clashes before Atletico Madrid meeting

Manchester United are all aware that any 'small' team can trouble any of the big boys, especially in the Premier League this season. They lost 4-1 to Watford, while drawing against Southampton, Newcastle and Burnley this campaign.

Now the Red Devils have three tricky fixtures coming up in Southampton, Brighton & Hove Albion and Leeds United. Southampton and Brighton have been impressive this season against big sides, while Leeds are an unpredictable team.

Manchester United will need to be at the top of their game to get all nine points from these three fixtures. They will then face a much tougher test in the form of Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 on February 23.