Unbelievable stat proves Hojlund is being RUINED by his Man Utd teammates

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 23 Dec 2023 21:28 GMT
• 3 min read

Rasmus Hojlund’s wait for a Premier League goal continues following Manchester United’s 2-0 Premier League defeat to West Ham United on Saturday.

There was little denying the impotence of Man Utd against their old boss David Moyes as they collapsed to another defeat that leaves them eighth in the Premier League.

Naturally, there has been a good deal of focus on United’s lack of goals. Even before Jason Bowen scored the Hammers’ opener, it had been pointed out that he had scored more goals in the Premier League this season than the entire Man Utd starting XI.

Hojlund, who was signed for €74 million from Atalanta in the summer, is already starting to have critics slowly round on him.

Against West Ham, after all, he earned a FootballCritic rating of just 5.4 - the lowest figure in the game. It continues a trend of wretched scores for the big-money signing. Indeed, he has managed scores of above six just twice in his Premier League career.

But while Hojlund is undoubtedly struggling in the top flight, his cause is not being helped by those around him.

While Man Utd’s centre-forward options have been criticised, the wingers’ part in their toils should also be scrutinised.

Hojlund abandoned

On Saturday, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho combined for a total of just one pass to Hojlund over the course of the match.

Currently, he looks a player miscast. United’s wingers invariably favour cutting in from their flanks and having shots at goal. Instead, Hojlund would be better served if Erik ten Hag deployed Facundo Pellistri, who is their sole wideman who likes to get crosses into the box.

The net result is that he is being stranded alone in attack and receiving very little of the service that he wants.

Instead, he is being forced to drop deep and his weaknesses, such as not being technically good with the ball in tight spaces or with his back to goal, are being exploited.

Hojlund might not be performing to the level that Man Utd had hoped, but he is not being helped by those around him.