Manchester United’s 4-1 win over Bournemouth in the Premier League Summer Series last month was notable because Rasmus Hojlund sought out UK journalists post-match to state – firmly – his intention to remain at Old Trafford.
Hojlund did not know it at the time, but that game in Chicago could well end up being the final one he starts for United.
With a £74m move from RB Leipzig frontman Benjamin Sesko pending – and finally completed on 9 August – Hojlund featured for 18 minutes in the final tour game against Everton.
After that, he was an unused substitute against Fiorentina at Old Trafford and has not been involved in either of United’s two Premier League games so far.
It is anticipated Serie A champions Napoli will renew their push for the Denmark forward this week as a replacement for the injured Romelu Lukaku, who is set to miss four months with a thigh issue.
What United boss Ruben Amorim did not know as he spoke after the Bournemouth match was the problems his side would have scoring goals in open play.
Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Fulham, after an opening 1-0 defeat by Arsenal, means United’s only strike so far this season is an own goal by Rodrigo Muniz.
They have played four games since that night in Chicago and scored four times – a penalty, two own goals and a single effort from open play, in Mason Mount’s well-worked effort against Everton.
United might lament their inability to leave Craven Cottage with three points but that is chiefly centred around another penalty, which Bruno Fernandes sent high over the bar.
As Fulham boss Marco Silva pointedly remarked: “In the second half, their best chances were set-pieces, nothing more.”
It is probably not what Amorim would have expected after a summer outlay of £200m on Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Sesko.
It is fair to put forward some mitigation on United’s behalf.
Sesko has had two weeks’ worth of training sessions with his new team-mates, who themselves are getting their heads around a different style of play.
The 22-year-old came off the bench for 37 minutes at Craven Cottage – to add to the 25 he got against Arsenal – and, as Amorim pointed out, his introduction came when United were “not in their best moment”.
According to the Portuguese, they began defending a lead rather than continuing to play.
Cunha came close to a sensational first-half goal when he controlled Altay Bayindir’s 70-yard pass with a magnificent left-footed touch as the ball dropped over his shoulder, before striking an effort on goal with his right foot, which Bernd Leno did well to keep out.
The Brazilian also hit a post after being set up by Mount and has made such an eye-catching start to his United career, it feels like a question of time before he does find the net.
Mbeumo too worked hard and, had it not been for the exceptional pace of USA international Antonee Robinson, would have been bearing down on the Fulham goal in the latter stages of the game.
Yet United’s attack feels at present like a group of talented players trying to get used to each other rather than a coherent unit.
Their xG against Arsenal was 1.52, against Fulham it was 1.62. They have had a combined 32 shots in those games yet their only goal came off the back of Fulham frontman Muniz.
As you would expect, Amorim rejects the notion a goalscoring problem that led to United netting just 44 league goals last season – their worst return since the 1973-74 relegation campaign – has not been solved. Since last season, the transfer money has been focused on the attack.
“I forget about last season,” he said. “Like I said, we were more concerned about holding on to the result.
“We are going to score goals because we are creating so many chances. That is the important thing.”
Amorim has spoken often about the benefits of not having a European campaign to plan for this season.
It means in the three-week gaps between the two upcoming international breaks, the only midweek fixtures will be in the EFL Cup, if United progress.
However, time does not stand still.
United need to find a way of winning games while Sesko is getting up to speed with the Premier League and as Cunha and Mbeumo get used to him – and each other.
After finishing last season in 15th, they are presently 16th after two games, with a visit from newly promoted Burnley to come on Saturday.
Victory – ideally with direct contributions from the newcomers who scored 58 goals at club level last season – would quell some of the growing chatter.
Amorim is convinced improvements have been made, but they are yet to deliver tangible change.
‘The referee didn’t apologise’ – Fernandes’ penalty problem
Any inquest around United would not have been quite so severe had skipper Fernandes netted the first-half penalty that would have put them in front.
Instead, Fernandes skied the effort.
The award had been controversial as VAR Darren England stepped in to get referee Chris Kavanagh to check a Calvin Bassey challenge on Mount as a corner came in.
Fulham boss Silva felt it should not have been awarded and also claimed Leny Yoro had committed a foul in the build-up to the visitors’ goal.
Fernandes had placed the ball on the spot and was striding backwards as part of his routine when Kavanagh accidentally barged into his shoulder, forcing the United skipper to go through his routine again.
Source : https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/ce35e5exg9qo
