Rasmus Hojlund can only improve Manchester United after what Ten Hag said
Pressure is unfairly building on Rasmus Hojlund with every week before he has had a kick for Man United.
Rasmus Hojlund took his seat in the back row of the Old Trafford directors’ box moments before kick-off on Monday evening. Fashionably late, Hojlund still attracted the attention of some supporters, including one young boy in his father’s arms. For much of the first half, he waved repeatedly at Hojlund.
Erik ten Hag will also be as eager for Hojlund to come on down. An unknown quantity and callow Hojlund may be, but he can only improve a blunt Manchester United side still lacking a focal point.
United have started their season with their two strikers unfit, having struggled for goals last season. Craig Dawson and Max Kilman neutered Marcus Rashford with ease and the United No.10’s body language became negative before the half-time shrill.
Antony repeatedly overlooked the right pass, Alejandro Garnacho was erratic and almost everything Bruno Fernandes hit failed to stick. Fernandes did contribute to the winning goal though the bulk of the credit belonged to the game Aaron Wan-Bissaka for his cute cross. Jose Sa’s errant positioning simplified Raphael Varane’s task in front of goal.
United have started the season with two strikers and neither match-fit. Anthony Martial was involved on a matchday for the first time in 78 days as a substitute though he had about as much chance of coming on as Hojlund. Ten Hag turned to Christian Eriksen and Jadon Sancho for his first attacking changes and Facundo Pellistri was waiting to come on when Varane nodded in.
Wolves had 23 shots to United’s 15; the second-most by a visiting side at Old Trafford in the Premier League era. They had twice as many efforts on target as a disjointed United, their goal assisted by a right-back and converted by a centre-back.
There was one change to the starting XI that beat Lens at Old Trafford nine days earlier. Garnacho, at 19, can be forgiven for the odd mercurial performance but Antony cannot be cut the same amount of slack. His hair dyed bleach blond like Ken in Barbie, he never came close to a scene-stealing performance a la Ryan Gosling.
United committed €100million in Antony and they have been shortchanged so far. Greater scrutiny of the Brazilian is inevitable this season with United at a stronger starting point than a year ago.
Rashford himself has protested he is not a centre forward and Sancho actually looked more at ease there during pre-season. The pay-off of Garnacho starting on the left did not come off. Without a focal point, United were toothless.
“I think we could have scored five or six turnovers and there were overloads,” Ten Hag opined, “but I think the frontline was not in the best form today and we could have made more out of it from the overload situations.”
Garnacho only started five league matches last season and breaking into double figures would mark progress this term. Rashford is at his optimum off the left and relocating him there against Tottenham on Saturday has to be considered. With Martial so delicate, Sancho is the only alternative to sharpen the tip of the arrow.
Already, an unfair amount of pressure is piling on Hojlund before he has had a kick. There is enough leading the line for a United side that mustered 58 league goals last season, never mind in the same summer Harry Kane finally upped sticks, or with an unreliable alternative. Hojlund’s teammates have to alleviate the burden on the 20-year-old and few seem capable of doing so.
Martial is brittle enough and goes to pieces when competition for his position arrives while Sancho and Antony can be flaky. Much still rests on Rashford and Fernandes, United’s two highest scorers in 2022-23.
Ten Hag has told confidants he is convinced Hojlund can handle the “stresses”. He is impressed by the Dane’s personality and encouraged by his physicality, as well as his ability to run in behind and press.
United feel Hojlund fits their style. Dawson and Kilman got too easy a ride from the strapping Rashford when they might have encountered more mither against a specialist in Hojlund.
They will encounter meaner defences than Wolves, though not necessarily this weekend. Tottenham were still fragile with a new goalkeeper and centre half against Brentford on Sunday and it is a pity for United they cannot pit Hojlund against them.
He will have to remain in the stands.