As Rasmus Hojlund trotted off to ironic cheers at Old Trafford on Sunday evening, it could be said that the moment showed the Dane’s number is, quite literally, up at Manchester United.
The 22-year-old was withdrawn on the hour mark against Fulham having once again failed to fire in front of goal, with his brutal drought now stretching back to 12 December, when the former Atalanta ace netted a brace against Viktoria Plzen.
With that double coming amid a five-goal haul in the Europa League so far this term, there will be a glimmer of hope that Thursday’s return to the competition can provide some welcome solace for United’s number nine, amid this lengthy barren run.
That said, if recent displays are anything to go by, the £64m signing – who has netted just two Premier League goals all season – looks increasingly devoid of confidence, having been somewhat surpassed by the lively Chido Obi in recent outings.
Stat (*per game)
23/24
24/25
Games (starts)
30 (25)
22 (16)
Goals
10
2
Mins per goal
217
676
Big chances missed
13
3
Assists
2
0
Big chances created
0
3
Key passes*
0.9
0.5
Pass accuracy*
77%
79%
Touches*
22.8
17.7
Total duels won*
38%
29%
Aerial duels won*
27%
21%
Possession lost*
6.6x
6.2x
Fortunately for Hojlund – albeit perhaps frustratingly for Ruben Amorim – the Red Devils’ 17-year-old sensation will be absent for the trip to face Real Sociedad, leaving the Portuguese tactician with a real headache as to how to configure his attacking unit…
Why Chido Obi can't play in the Europa League
As club legend Andy Cole – speaking to Rio Ferdinand – stated following the weekend clash, the word to describe Obi is certainly “raw”. That said, having been thrown in at the deep end in recent weeks, the former Arsenal teenager certainly hasn’t sunk.
Indeed, after witnessing Hojlund – who had just nine touches in total on Sunday – toil against the Cottagers, the young substitute was far more effective when leading the line, having notably been denied following a brilliant save from Bernd Leno at the angle.
Currently the leading scorer in the FA Youth Cup with seven goals in just three outings, despite missing Friday’s quarter-final triumph over the Gunners, the Danish youth international has proven himself to be something of a “goal machine” in the academy ranks, as per analyst Ben Mattinson, with it unlikely to be long before that duck is broken at first-team level.
Sadly, however, the summer arrival will have to watch on when United take to the field in San Sebastian, with the club having opted not to include him in the updated Europa League squad last month. Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu – both of whom were signed in January – were added to the ‘A’ list, along with 17-year-old, Jack Fletcher.
With Obi also ineligible for a place on the ‘B’ list, a spot usually reserved for academy talents, having not spent at least two years in United’s youth ranks, he will be unable to feature at all for the remainder of the competition.
In a sense, that may be a blessing in disguise in order to allow the teen striker to be eased in gradually, yet with Hojlund so off the boil of late, it does leave the attacking ranks looking even more depleted.
Perhaps, Amorim may need to consider a wildcard solution…
How Man Utd can replace Hojlund without Chido Obi
The obvious answer would be to allow Hojlund yet another chance to impress from the start, with the 6 foot 4 centre-forward having netted ten goals in Europe since arriving from Italy.
Perhaps, however, introducing the £85k-per-week man off the bench would be a better option, with Joshua Zirkzee deployed in that central role instead, despite featuring in more of a number ten berth in recent weeks.
As Amorim himself has admitted, Zirkzee is not an out-and-out striker, yet with Obi out of the picture, it is a case of needs must, with the Dutchman – who expertly turned and teed up Alejandro Garnacho late in the day at the weekend – possessing the hold-up ability needed to lead the line.
With Zirkzee moving into a more central role as the focal point of the attack, it could then see the aforementioned Garnacho reinstated in the starting lineup behind him, with the Argentine winger having been introduced off the bench against the Cottagers.
Quite why the 20-year-old – who had been something of a talking point after heading straight down the tunnel against Ipswich Town – was not handed a start against Marco Silva’s side has not been determined, albeit with Amorim revealing prior to Sunday’s clash that the youngster had also been carrying a knock.
Either way, United’s number 17 – who scored his first goal for the club away against Sociedad in November 2022 – simply has to start this time around, having been a real outlet following his entrance at the weekend.
Not only did the one-time Atletico Madrid asset tee up Diogo Dalot in the build-up to Bruno Fernandes’ equaliser, but he also regularly got in behind the visiting backline, having come close to winning the game just before extra-time after racing onto Zirkzee’s lofted pass, only to see his tame effort comfortably saved by Leno.
Talk was rife in January that a move to Chelsea was on the cards for Garnacho, but thankfully for Amorim, the dynamic “game-changer” – as hailed by journalist Samuel Luckhurst – remains at Old Trafford, with United needing the academy graduate to step up to the mark in the absence of the stricken Amad.
The combination of Zirkzee’s interplay and Garnacho’s direct nature could certainly cause problems for the Basque side on Thursday evening, with the time having come to finally oust the struggling Hojlund.
Dorgu 2.0: Amorim can forget Dalot by unleashing Man Utd's 17-year-old star
Man Utd may need to look to the academy once again…
ByRobbie Walls