Man Utd’s chances this season rely considerably on Hojlund staying fit | OneFootball

Rasmus Hojlund scored his first Premier League goal of the season in the win over Brentford on Saturday to hand Erik ten Hag a much-needed three points.

The Danish striker has endured frustrations with injuries since his move to Old Trafford last summer. He missed eight Premier League games altogether in his debut season and was not fit enough to start several others. He has already missed four Premier League games this season due to an injury too.

United signed just one forward in the summer by bringing in Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna, who has so far looked off the pace when he has played. And their failure to add a quality alternative to Hojlund means their reliance on him is significant, as he demonstrated with his performance on Saturday.

Speaking on Monday Night Football, Jamie Carragher highlighted Hojlund as a positive for United: “Hojlund, I think he’s starting to look a player,” he said.

In fact, they have not lost any of the three games in all competitions in which he has started this season, having also scored in the 3-3 Europa League draw with Porto.

After a difficult start last season, he ended the campaign with a respectable 10 Premier League goals in 30 games and 16 in all competitions. And of the eight Premier League games he missed altogether last season, United lost half of those.

The lack of a good alternative to Hojlund is a factor in his importance, but his skillset is also crucial to ten Hag’s team, especially his work rate and tenacity without the ball. There’s also the obvious lack of goals in the team which Hojlund helps to address. United’s win over Brentford was just the second time in eight Premier League games that they have scored more than two goals in a game, and they are the fourth lowest scorers in the division this season.

It is not too big of a statement to say that United improving this season depends largely on whether Hojlund can stay fit, something he has struggled to do for long periods thus far. Speaking at the Football Writers’ Association Northern Managers Awards dinner, ten Hag said: “He will always score. What is important is he is keeping fit. He picked up so many injuries in the first season and when he stays fit, he will score goals because that (is) proved (in) his stats.”

Hojlund also spoke of his desire to put his injuries behind him after the win over Brentford: “The injury has been annoying and it was an annoying time to get it, but obviously I feel great now and feel ready to move on.”

United and ten Hag will certainly be hoping that is the case.