Rasmus Hojlund’s start under new manager Ruben Amorim seemed flawless, as his goal and assist secured Manchester United a 3-2 win over Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League on Thursday night. However, under the watchful eye of a detail-orientated new manager, there’s always room for improvement.
The 21-year-old Denmark international was identified as a player who could thrive under the new manager, and after securing his first win in football’s most high-pressure role, that expectation still holds true. However, Amorim focussed his post-match comments on his unwavering pursuit of more. No player was singled out, with even Hojlund, despite being named Man of the Match, being advised to take fewer touches moving forward.
The former Atalanta striker pressed Bodo goalkeeper Nikita Haikin into losing the ball to allow Alejandro Garnacho to score after 48 seconds and the Dane then scored United’s equaliser and winner to double his tally for the campaign. Early indications, though, suggest that this is only the beginning of something even better in the weeks, months, and possibly years ahead.
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There’s still more to come from the 21-year-old
Hojlund, who voiced his positivity around the new system during his own post-match media duties, did not start in Amorim’s first match in charge against Ipswich Town but responded impressively to help secure United’s second Europa League win of the campaign. “I think he improved the connection,” Amorim said, before adding:
“I think he has to improve more because sometimes he gives too many touches when he holds the ball.
“But he’s really important for us because when we are in the low block he is the guy to hold the ball, to connect for transitions, he did that very well, he has that characteristic, he was aggressive in the goals, he was aggressive in the box and he is a quality player.”
Amorim continued: “I think he scores the most difficult goals, so he has a lot to improve. It is the same for every player, but he did a great job today.”
United can thank their lucky stars for their current predicament. After having to fight back to claim their first win under Amorim, they’ve now climbed to 12th in the 36-team Europa League standings, despite worrying results against the likes of Fenerbahce and Twente earlier in the tournament threatening to derail their ambitions.
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With four games left, they are just four points behind first place. The top eight teams automatically advance to the round of 16, and Hojlund will no doubt play a part if the Red Devils are to completely turn around their fortunes in Europe after scoring 16 goals in all competitions to become the club’s top goalscorer in his 2023/24 debut campaign.
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