Man Utd add set-piece specialist to Erik ten Hag's backroom staff

Manchester United have announced the appointment of Andreas Georgson as a new first-team coach.

The 42-year-old has left his position as manager of Norwegian side Lillestrom to become a fresh face on Erik ten Hag's backroom staff.

United have been busy revamping their coaching setup this summer, with assistant manager Mitchell van der Gaag and coach Benni McCarthy leaving the club. Legendary striker Ruud van Nistelrooy and fellow Dutchman Rene Hake, who both have significant experience as managers, have been appointed as first-team coaches at Old Trafford.

Jelle ten Rouwelaar has joined United as their new goalkeeping coach, and Georgson is the fourth new member to Ten Hag's team, with his appointment confirmed on Friday evening.

Georgson enjoyed a low-profile playing career in his native Sweden before being appointed the assistant manager of Malmo in 2018.

After one year in that role, he moved to England and formed part of Thomas Frank's coaching staff at Brentford. His input on set pieces quickly grabbed the attention of Arsenal, who pounced and brought him aboard Mikel Arteta's setup in 2020.

Georgson left Arsenal in 2021 and went back to Malmo in various technical and directorial roles, while he made a return to the dugout as a caretaker manager in 2022. He came back to England as a set piece coach in the summer of 2023 at Southampton - appointed by United's new technical director Jason Wilcox - but left after a few months to take up the managerial role at Lillestrom.

United's frailties on set pieces were underlined by conceding 14 times from dead-ball situations in the Premier League last season - only five teams finished the campaign with a worse record.

Georgson's speciality may lie in set pieces but United have not confirmed whether he will be tasked with overseeing that area alone.

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