As Rasmus Hojlund walked off the pitch to ironic cheers at Old Trafford on Sunday evening, it was clear that the Danish striker’s time at Manchester United may be running out. The 22-year-old was substituted after 60 minutes against Fulham, having once again failed to find the back of the net. His goal drought now stretches back to December 12th, when he scored a brace against Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League. With just two Premier League goals this season, Hojlund’s struggles are becoming increasingly concerning.
Hojlund’s struggles have been particularly stark in the Premier League, with just two goals in 22 appearances. This is in contrast to his Europa League form, where he has scored five times, including a brace against Plzen. With United’s return to the competition on Thursday, there is hope that Hojlund can rediscover his scoring touch. However, his recent performances suggest that confidence is severely lacking, with the £64m signing looking increasingly out of sorts.
United’s attack has been further complicated by the emergence of young striker Chido Obi. The 17-year-old has impressed in recent outings, providing a spark that Hojlund has failed to deliver. However, Obi will not be available for the Europa League clash against Real Sociedad, as he was not included in the updated squad. This leaves manager Ruben Amorim with a selection headache as he looks to find a solution to United’s attacking woes.
One potential solution could be to deploy Joshua Zirkzee as the central striker. The Dutchman has primarily played in a number ten role recently but has the physical attributes and hold-up play needed to lead the line. This would allow Amorim to reintroduce Alejandro Garnacho into the starting lineup, with the Argentine winger offering pace and creativity. Garnacho was influential off the bench against Fulham, setting up Bruno Fernandes’ equalizer and causing problems for the opposition defense.
Hojlund could then be used as an impact substitute, potentially allowing him to regain confidence in a less pressurized role. Despite his struggles, Hojlund has proven his ability in Europe, scoring ten goals since arriving from Atalanta. However, with United’s attack looking increasingly disjointed, Amorim may need to make bold decisions to get the team back on track.
In the absence of both Obi and Amad, the combination of Zirkzee’s physicality and Garnacho’s directness could be the key to unlocking Real Sociedad’s defense. It’s time for Amorim to make the tough call and finally bench the struggling Hojlund in favor of a fresh approach to United’s attack.
