Manchester United's barren goalscoring spell is not going to endure, according to manager Louis Van Gaal, who says he is convinced the floodgates are about to open.
The Red Devils have found the back of the net just six times in their last nine games, and that is causing some consternation among their fans. Not so for Van Gaal, however, as he predicted a glut of goals will arrive -- preferably when they face Wolfsburg in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
"You never know for sure, but I have the experience as a manager that the goals shall come, because when you are creating chances at the end you will score and finish those chances," Van Gaal said at a news conference in Wolfsburg. "That is why we have that belief and it's a matter of time and I hope we can prove it tomorrow already."
United could do with some of those goals arriving on Tuesday with only a win at the Bundesliga side enough to ensure their passage to the last 16 of the Champions League.
With the stakes so high, and memories of elimination in the group stage four years ago following an unexpected defeat at Basel still fresh, Tuesday night's clash is United's biggest game of the season, by far.
"We have to fight also against Manchester City in the league, or against Liverpool and for the fans these are very important, but in this moment I believe this is the most important match, but that is this moment," Van Gaal said.
"It is also very important for the club to continue in the Champions League, also for the players because they want to show the qualities on the highest podium, and that is also why it's very important.
"As a manager I have played three finals so that is a lot I think. We have won one and lost two, and my big friend [Bastian Schweinsteiger] was there [for Bayern Munich against Inter Milan in 2010]. When you lose you are so close, so it is so disappointing, but now, we are in a qualification group -- that is in my opinion different.
"You have to prove as a club, as a team, as players -- you have to prove yourself that you continue, that's why it is very important to beat the opponent tomorrow because we have to be undependable of the result of PSV Eindhoven."
Schweinsteiger was on a podium with Van Gaal on Monday, spreading the same belief that the goals will soon start to arrive.
"When we enter the pitch we want to score goals," said the German midfielder shortly before he was charged by violent conduct by the FA on Monday.
"If you see our matches we always create good chances to score, it's a mix of the last pass, the build-up pass -- you need a bit of luck, but also you have got to be determined to score. If we would finish our chances in the games, we would now be maybe number one in the Premier League and have five or six points more so nobody would ask about this. It's just one thing and I am convinced we can change that, hopefully tomorrow even.
"There is no big pressure, I mean we are here in Wolfsburg and we know the situation and that we need a good result here. We just have to think of our performance and how we can beat Wolfsburg. We did that at home, 2-1, and we want to do it again here. Of course it's not going to be as easy here as at Old Trafford, but we have to prove ourselves here and I'm convinced we will play a good game tomorrow evening."