May 13th 2024.
Manchester United's new £72m signing Rasmus Hojlund has been struggling to score goals this summer. According to former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher, he could learn a thing or two from players like Liverpool's Darwin Nunez and Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson.
It was reported on Monday that many of Hojlund's teammates are hesitant to pass the ball to him after he experienced yet another goal drought. While he did score his first Premier League goal in the 3-2 win against Aston Villa on Boxing Day, it took him 15 games to do so. He then went on a bit of a hot streak, but has since been unable to find the back of the net.
Some have pointed to a lack of service from his teammates as the reason for his struggles, with Hojlund only receiving the ball 14 times in Sunday's 1-0 loss to Arsenal at Old Trafford. However, Carragher believes that Hojlund needs to take matters into his own hands and be more like Nunez and Jackson, who are known for their "mad" and "scruffy" style of play.
"He doesn't get enough shots in the game," Carragher stated on Sky Sports. "I know you can go back to the fact they don't create, they're a little bit selfish. I get all that, but sometimes a striker can't just rely on service. You've got to do things yourself."
His fellow pundit Gary Neville disagreed with this viewpoint, arguing that Hojlund does possess physicality and a strong mentality. He believes that Hojlund is not the problem at Manchester United and should be given time to develop and improve.
"I think he's playing in a struggling team, in a difficult environment," Neville said. "He's not the problem at Manchester United, he's someone to persevere with. If I was playing at Manchester United and he came into the squad 15-20 years ago, I'd think there's something to work with there. Those attributes, that sort of running power."
When asked if United needed to sign a new striker in the upcoming transfer window, Neville acknowledged that this has been a recurring issue for the club. "That's the problem for Manchester United," he said. "Every player that has signed there in the last ten years has struggled and for young players it's difficult, it's really difficult. I hope they can sign another striker in the summer to support him, to be a partner for him, to mentor him, so he can learn off."
However, Carragher disagrees with this approach and believes that bringing in another striker would hinder Hojlund's progress. "If you bring a top striker now, you kill him," he argued. "Once you've given him this first year, you've almost got to give him next season and see if he is up to it. I think to bring someone else in now, and he is almost like the second striker, I think it makes it really difficult for him."
In the end, it will be up to Manchester United to decide how to handle Hojlund's development. But Carragher's and Neville's differing opinions show the complexity of the situation and the importance of giving young players like Hojlund time to grow and adapt to the demands of playing at a top club like Manchester United.
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