Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag knew the vital importance of scoring first in matches before he made the move from Ajax, where he has looked to take advantage of the club's phenomenal record at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag has undeniably brought a significant level of improvement to United during his first few months in charge. They have certainly not been plain sailing, as the Dutchman has already suffered his fair share of trials and tribulations.
The defeats to Brighton and Brentford caught even the most optimistic supporters off guard, as the Reds saw the pre-season optimism pulled out from underneath them. However, the response to those defeats looks set to be a defining moment in Ten Hag's tenure at the club.
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Since then, a defeat to bitter rivals Manchester City, which however sore was not too unexpected, and a forgettable afternoon at Villa Park have otherwise been the only flies in the ointment. The Reds currently find themselves just three points off Tottenham in the hunt for a top-four finish, with a game in hand over Antonio Conte's side.
Champions League football is a realistic target for Ten Hag, with a domestic trophy perhaps being considered as an added bonus. The Premier League has to be the main priority, and for United to do well they know their home form will be crucial.
The opening day loss to Brighton will sting, but the squad have learnt their lessons and since gone on to beat Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham at Old Trafford. United scored first in all three of those matches, and supporters will know just how important that is, in Manchester even more so than elsewhere.
United have not lost a home league match when leading at half-time since Ipswich Town beat them 2-1 in May 1984. The 38-year record is simply staggering and shows just how important it is for the Reds to get off to the best start possible.
Yet it seems that Ten Hag was all too aware of this, as John Heitinga, the current U23s coach at Ajax, revealed to The Athletic.
He said: “Erik ten Hag and his staff changed, not the philosophy, but the way of playing here at Ajax. You need to find a solution to destroy the compact organisations. That’s something every day Erik was working on.
"He told me as well when you play against a compact organisation it’s really important we score the first goal, because when they score the first goal, they’re dropping even more to play from the transition.”
The phenomenal record that United have at home blends perfectly with the philosophy that Ten Hag is looking to bring. Whether or not the Reds will get themselves back in Europe's premier competition this season is yet to be seen, but they have a manager with the right approach to help them do so.
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