September 3rd 2023.
Rasmus Hojlund made his long-awaited Manchester United debut on Sunday, and Gary Neville could not have been more pleased with the Dane's performance. Although the 20-year-old joined United from Atalanta this summer, he had been suffering from a back problem which meant he had to wait to make his debut.
Sadly, Hojlund's debut did not end in the dream result, with United losing 3-1 to Arsenal courtesy of two late goals from Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus. But despite the disappointing result, Hojlund showed great promise with his performance. Neville was especially encouraged by the youngster's aggression and running, and believes he could be the answer to United's lack of a targetman.
The pressure that rests on Hojlund's shoulders is difficult to ignore, as United have high expectations of him despite his relative inexperience. He has less than 100 first team appearances to his name, most of which came from Sturm Graz and FC Copenhagen. Neville warned of the difficulty of expecting Hojlund to be the next Erling Haaland, and urged caution when it comes to the young Dane's development.
United boss Erik ten Hag praised both Hojlund and Anthony Martial for their display, though his praise for Martial was more muted. Ten Hag was especially complimentary of Hojlund's impact in the game, which bodes well for the future of the young forward. While it was obvious there is still work to be done, Hojlund's debut was a promising start.
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