Marcus Rashford "lacks the killer instinct" to lead Manchester United's attack, according to the Premier League's all-time record goalscorer Alan Shearer.
England international Rashford made it two goals in two games since returning to club action following the World Cup break with his strike against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old now has 10 goals in 21 games this season, double his tally from the whole of last season in 32 matches and twice as many as any United team-mate this term.
Rashford is on course for his best scoring campaign, but Shearer has urged Erik ten Hag to continue fielding the versatile attacker out wide and bring in a new out-and-out striker.
"I think Marcus enjoys it more, he looks better certainly in the position [on the left] we saw tonight," Newcastle United great Shearer told Amazon Prime.
"He's been given a little bit of freedom – if he wants to go down the middle at times, he can.
"But when he's got all that space to run into from out wide, he's a better player in doing that and he's very, very good at doing that.
"In terms of him being a centre-forward, he lacks the killer instinct, that natural ability to think 'yeah, I'm going to get in there, I'm going to get the two or three yarders'.
"But there's no doubting his ability – he's a fantastic player."
Rashford has five goals in 15 Premier League outings this term, which is already one more than last season and 12 off his career-best tally in the 2019-20 campaign.
Speaking after the 3-0 win over Forest, which moved United within a point of the top four with a game in hand, Rashford declared he is aiming to better his previous high.
However, fellow former striker and now pundit Michael Owen agrees with Shearer's assessment that United still need another new striker in the January window.
"I do feel that Rashford is better on the left, he will contribute a decent number of goals each year," Owen said.
"But he's not going to be the Ruud van Nistelrooy, the Robin van Persie, the Wayne Rooney who scores 30-plus goals a season.
"Obviously he is a huge asset to this football club, gives them something different, gives them pace, gives them directness."
United have scored 23 goals in 15 Premier League games this season at an average of 1.53 per match, which is only the 11th best return in the division.
Despite easing to victory against Forest, Ten Hag admitted after the match he was not entirely satisfied with his side's finishing and reiterated the need for a new striker.
"It's what I said in the dressing room, we have to score more goals," he said.
"We created so many chances and it takes us until just before the end to score the third goal. We need to finish this game in an earlier moment.
"We are looking for offensive players, we are looking for a striker. It would be good because we have games coming, so many, every third day, and it's tough."
Sessegnon rejoins boyhood club Fulham after Tottenham departure
Ryan Sessegnon has resigned for Fulham on a free transfer, five years after leaving the club.
The 24-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Cottagers with the option to extend for a further year following his departure from Tottenham last month.
In his first spell at the club, Sessegnon worked his way through the academy over 11 years, scoring 25 goals in 120 first-team appearances.
He then moved to Spurs in a £25million deal in 2019, though struggled to nail down a place in North London, making just 57 appearances in all competitions, and scoring three goals.
"It's amazing to be back. Emotional, as well," he told FFCtv. "It's where it started for me, where everything began, and it's amazing to be back.
"It will always be home for me. I think it had the feeling that it was meant to be, coming back here, so I'm delighted to get it done."
Sessegnon is Fulham's first signing of the transfer window, though they have seen plenty of first-team departures already, with Joao Palhinha, Tosin Adarabioyo and Bobby De Cordova-Reid all leaving the club.
Eriksen in 'no rush' to decide Man Utd future
Christian Eriksen says he is in "no rush" to decide his future despite going into the final year of his contract at Manchester United.
Eriksen joined the Red Devils in 2022, making 28 appearances in the Premier League in his first season, though an injury in January 2023 put a halt to his impressive start to life at Old Trafford.
Following Kobbie Mainoo's breakout season last year, Eriksen dropped down the pecking order at United as he made just 12 starts in his 22 league appearances, scoring just once and assisting two goals.
Some reports suggest Eriksen could be heading out on loan to former club Ajax for the final year of his contract, but he insisted he is satisfied in Manchester.
"I am really happy at United," he said. "I have had two very good years and am going into my third.
"It is a special club and a special place. Also, my family is settled in Manchester, so I am in no rush.
"Obviously, I want to play as much as possible and do everything I can. But that is nothing to do with the club - it is up to you and the manager.
"But in terms of how I feel, I feel very good at United."
Man Utd transformation will not occur 'overnight', says Maguire
Harry Maguire has warned Manchester United supporters their fortunes may not change "overnight" ahead of the Red Devils' first season under the Jim Ratcliffe regime.
INEOS founder Ratcliffe assumed control of football operations when he bought a 25% stake in the club, with his part-takeover being formally ratified earlier this year.
United have since gone about constructing a new football hierarchy, appointing Dan Ashworth as sporting director and Omar Berrada as chief executive.
They were widely expected to part ways with manager Erik ten Hag after finishing eighth in the Premier League last term, but the Dutchman was instead handed a new contract after guiding them to an FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
United have spent an estimated £88million to bring in striker Joshua Zirkzee and centre-back Leny Yoro ahead of Ten Hag's third season in charge, but Maguire has warned patience will be required as they bid to return to title contention.
"I don't think we will go from finishing eighth in the league to winning all the trophies overnight," Maguire told BBC Sport.
"But I do think we are moving in the right direction now and the decisions that have been made at the top will help this club get back to where it should be."
Yoro's arrival has raised questions about Maguire's future, with Lisandro Martinez also hoping to play a heightened role after an injury-hit 2023-24 campaign.
Maguire was widely expected to leave Old Trafford last year but opted to fight for his place and was ultimately rewarded with regular gametime.
With Martinez, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof all enduring disjointed seasons, Maguire managed more Premier League starts (18) and minutes (1,650) than any other United centre-back.
The Red Devils only kept four Premier League clean sheets when Maguire was involved, however, with their 58 goals conceded their most in any league campaign since 1978-79 (63).
He believes he proved his worth, saying: "There was a lot of uncertainty over my future last year but I sat down with the manager, he told me where I was at, said he believed in me and I would get chances.
"I proved last season when I got the chances I took them really well."
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