How responsible are Hojlund and Zirkzee for Man Utd’s worst-ever Premier League season? | OneFootball

Manchester United are on track to log their worst goal-scoring tally in a single Premier League season. But just how poor have their strikers, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, been in 2024-25?

The Red Devils’ worst Premier League campaign in front of goal came in Louis van Gaal’s final season in 2015-16 when they scored 49 goals. So far this season, Man Utd have scored just 30 in 26 games, at a rate of 1.15 per match. At this rate, the Red Devils are set to finish the season on 44 goals.

The worst Man Utd side ever?

Last month, Ruben Amorim labelled his side “the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United” — and the stats would agree with the claim, certainly in the Premier League era.

Man Utd are set to blow almost every Premier League “worst” in club history out of the water this season, starting with goals scored.

In Erik ten Hag’s final full season at Old Trafford, his side logged their lowest finish in the rebranded top-flight (eighth). But that record is set to be broken one year later, with the Red Devils languishing in 15th.

In 2021-22, Man Utd tallied their fewest points in a Premier League campaign (58), in a tumultuous year which saw the return of Cristiano Ronaldo, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s departure, and the hiring and firing of Ralf Rangnick.

But this year, Man Utd are on track to finish on just 44 points — their worst since Ron Atkinson was replaced by Sir Alex Ferguson mid-way through the 1986-87 campaign.

Man Utd’s main issue remains to be their form in front of goal. Amorim’s side have scored the fifth-fewest goals (30) and missed the seventh-most big chances (44) in the Premier League this season.

So, let us look into the stats behind the Red Devils’ two main antagonists who have failed to get the job done up top.

Hojlund vs Zirkzee

Some Man Utd fans will favour one over the other, but the bottom line is that Hojlund and Zirkzee’s numbers have both been sub-par, to put it delicately.

Their minutes have been near even, with Hojlund playing just over 200 more, while Zirkzee has made five more appearances. But how do their numbers match-up against one another?

Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol has scored as many goals in the league this season as Man Utd’s woeful duo combined (five). Hojlund has scored two goals (0.14 goals per 90 minutes) compared to Zirkzee’s three (0.26 per 90), while the latter has provided one assist compared to Hojlund who has not managed to do so yet.

Hojlund and Zirkzee have fired only 16 and 23 shots respectively, the 29th and 25th-most in the Premier League. Not only are they not scoring, they are failing to even test their luck.

But this is not because their supporting cast have not handed them opportunities; Man Utd has a team have created the eighth-most chances in the Premier League this season (267). Of course, that number is not good enough for a team that wishes to fight for Champions League qualification.

But we must be frank; Man Utd are 15th in the league with the fifth-fewest goals scored. They are not the team they used to be and it is clear that their attackers are not doing any justice for their creative counterparts in midfield.

When it comes to finishing their opportunities, Hojlund has missed three big chances, while Zirkzee has missed double that amount.

However, Zirkzee has been more of a provider than his competitor for the starting striker spot, creating four big chances compared to Hojlund’s three. The Dutchman has also completed more passes in the final third (128) than Hojlund (79) and has managed more take-ons (25 compared to Hojlund’s 20).

What should Amorim do about it?

Amorim must now consider which striker he opts to play going forward, if either. He has recently weaved academy star Chido Obi into the matchday squad, with the 17-year-old logging minutes in back-to-back games.

The 6’5″ forward has looked nervous, to say the least, misplacing passes and failing to exert his physical presence on Premier League defenders, as he so often does at the Under-21 and U18 level.

These are likely growing pains, and it would be harsh to issue a gruelling verdict on the youngster after around half an hour of senior football.

Nevertheless, Amorim has a decision to make in the summer. Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres has been earmarked with a reunion with his former manager at Old Trafford, while there is a plethora of attacking talent on the market.

Benjamin Sesko, Jonathan David and Alexander Isak are on the list of frontmen linked with a move away from their current clubs, to name a few.

It would hardly be unjustifiable for Man Utd to call time on their two failed striker projects, and look to ship off either Hojlund or Zirkzee in the summer, especially with the calibre of replacements available elsewhere.

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