Rasmus Hojlund has acknowledged that his individual performance this season has not met expectations, following his first goal for Manchester United in 21 games.
The Danish striker ended a drought of over 22 hours without scoring by netting in Manchester United’s 3-0 victory over Leicester City on Sunday, marking his third Premier League goal of the campaign.
While many have defended Hojlund, pointing out that the young forward has lacked sufficient support from his teammates—a valid argument—he himself admitted he has not performed to the standard expected of United’s leading striker.
“It comes down to my performances as well,” Hojlund said. “I haven’t been at the level I wanted to be, and we’re still adapting to a new system and some new roles. But I feel like I’m growing into it now and starting to improve. Scoring gives me confidence, and I’m sure more goals will come. It’s not just about the goals, though—I’m starting to build a better connection with my teammates, and they’re beginning to understand my strengths and play to them.”
“I’m still developing and learning about my teammates’ qualities too, which is what the manager wants. He encourages us to play to our strengths, and now we’re starting to gel better. He also wants me to stretch the pitch, get into the channels, and keep the centre-backs busy. That’s what I’m focused on doing, using my speed to my advantage.”
Hojlund sees this goal as a stepping stone to rediscovering his scoring form and is determined to keep improving.
“This is a positive step, but I want to keep getting better. I know I’m not the finished product yet, but I’m focused on improving and scoring more goals. If I stay committed, I’m confident I’ll keep getting better,” he concluded.
