The Dane is due to make his Red Devils debut in front of an eager Old Trafford crowd, and he possesses all the talent necessary to become a fast favorite.
The time has come after much waiting on the part of Manchester United. More than five weeks after finalizing his £72 million ($90 million) transfer from Atalanta, Rasmus Hojlund is poised to make his complete club debut against Brighton on Saturday.
After a disappointing start to the new season, wherein their team has already lost two games, fans were pleased with what they saw of their new striker when he came off the bench against Arsenal. Now, they get to see their new man in action right from the start in front of an eager Old Trafford.
Since Cristiano Ronaldo left the club in November 2022, United has been without a reliable striker. In reality, the Portuguese player no longer wanted to be with the team and was well past his prime. However, Hojlund, a 20-year-old athlete on the verge of greatness, is fired up and eager to win over his new squad.
GOAL clarifies why Hojlund is the ideal choice to begin United’s campaign and why his full debut occurs at the perfect time.
Hojlund came on against Arsenal with only 23 minutes and extra time to make an impression on United supporters and Premier League viewers, but he immediately made his new team look more dangerous and creative.
The Brazilian had been coasting against the weak and lightweight Anthony Martial for the whole of the game when the Dane flung himself headfirst into the Arsenal defender Gabriel. With darting runs in behind and deft hold-up play, he made use of his muscle to put the Gunners under pressure.
United suddenly became more direct, hitting their new acquisition with long balls both in the air and along the deck, after spending the majority of the game simply trying to maintain possession and keep Arsenal at bay. With both types of deliveries, Hojlund prospered.
He moved Gabriel out of the way when a ball started to bounce toward him, got there first, controlled the ball, and stopped play so that his teammates could advance. He quickly made contact with Bruno Fernandes, whose pass set off an effective attack.
Another time, Hojlund raced to a ground pass, beating Gabriel to it once more, before charging the Brazilian and almost earning a penalty. Although the decision did not favor United, Hojlund has issued a warning to opposing defenders that he is prepared to engage them in combat. Erik ten Hag undoubtedly believed that the challenge had called for a penalty kick.
Hojlund demonstrated creativity by attempting a backheel goalward after the ball landed behind him and Gabriel blocked his way. Casemiro was able to play Alejandro Garnacho in for what appeared to be the game-winning goal thanks to another backheel in the middle of the field, but the goal was judged to be just a little bit offside. Even though United didn’t win the game, there is still a lot of hope for the future.
There hasn’t been a striker for Manchester United who can hit. The issue is that. Gary Neville on Sky Sports stated, “At least they have someone who looks like he’ll screw people around and get his body in there.
He runs well and is aggressive. There isn’t anyone else with experience at Manchester United to support him. Martial has been a Manchester United player for nine to ten years, but Erik ten Hag does not want him. This young man is under a lot of stress, but it was a promising beginning.
The big man came on, said MUTV analyst and former United defender Phil Bardsley. He gave the team some new energy and appeared good and aggressive from above. We don’t currently have any physical touch, but he has a presence up there and doesn’t mind it.
Like Wout Weghorst, Hojlund’s immediate predecessor, Martial exhibits self-doubt, notably over his capacity to maintain fitness (or lack thereof). Confidence is a requirement to fulfill the job at Old Trafford because United strikers are scrutinized like at few other clubs. Fortunately, Hojlund appears to have it in abundance.
Take his initial interview with Sturm Graz. He was only 18 years old, and his previous experience with FC Copenhagen had been a complete failure—he had failed to register a single goal in the Danish top division. So who did he choose to judge himself against? Robert Haaland.
