Rio Ferdinand blasts Manchester United’s inability to involve Rasmus Hojlund more | OneFootball

Rio Ferdinand believes that Manchester United are falling into bad habits again and not making the most out of Rasmus Hojlund.

The young Dane has had a Jekyll and Hyde style start to his United career, plundering five goals in six Champions League games but failing to score a single domestic goal until finally breaking his duck in a dramatic Boxing Day victory over Aston Villa.

This became the catalyst for the youngster to score seven Premier League goals in six matches and grab 13 in all competitions before the end of February.

However, disaster struck as he was ruled out with an injury after scoring a brace against Luton Town in mid-February.

Hojlund would make his return against Liverpool in the FA Cup in March, but in the four games since returning from injury he has not scored a goal.

Worryingly, he has only had one shot on target in those four matches according to Sofascore, as he has once again cut a frustrated, isolated figure.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Vibe with Five, United legend Rio Ferdinand has also drawn attention to this asserting, “Look at Hojlund”.

“How many balls did we get in the box for him? How many balls are we getting in the channel for him to run onto? We don’t seem to be playing to his strengths”.

Sadly, this has been a recurrent theme over the season. It looked at the turn of the year that the club had found a solution to this particular problem but it seems they are falling back into their old ways.

It was relayed here in December that Hojlund and fellow striker Anthony Martial received the ball a lot less than most Premier League strikers with players like Cameron Archer and Yoane Wissa being given the ball on much more regular occurrences.

There was also a report back in January that highlighted how Hojlund was not being found by his teammates and was having to provide for himself.

This was demonstrated by the fact that at that point, he had only received three assists for his eight goals.

This lack of involvement is highlighted once again in the fact in the three games since the international break the striker has only made 18, 13 and 10 passes in the matches.

No matter how talented a number nine is, if they are not provided for, they will not score goals.

This season may be too late to salvage, at least in the Premier League, but one of the most vital bits of work the United coaching team have to carry out over the summer is developing a long-term plan regarding how they can consistently involve their young starlet in the play and provide the chances he needs.

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