Ally McCoist insists there is ‘no chance’ Rasmus Hojlund should be viewed as a flop despite a difficult start to life in the Premier League with Manchester United.
The former Rangers talisman knows a thing or two about leading the line at a club with big expectations, and he remains convinced that Manchester United’s £64 million summer signing has ‘all the attributes’ to live up to his mega-money price-tag at Old Trafford.
Rasmus Hojlund has scored only twice in the Premier League so far.
That, however, is less a reflection on him, and more down to a lack of quality service provided by United’s often underperforming widemen, those emphatic finishes against Aston Villa and Tottenham proof of how lethal Hojlund can be when provided with the ammunition he needs.
And McCoist, when running through his candidates for 2023/24’s ‘Flop of the Season so far’, insists that Hojlund does not deserve to be in contention.
The same cannot be said, however, of a certain Red Devils team-mate…
Pundit backing Rasmus Hojlund for Manchester United success
“Rasmus Hojlund? No chance,” McCoist tells talkSPORT. “(Chelsea’s Moises) Caicedo and (United goalkeeper Andre) Onana would get it ahead of him.
“I know Hojlund hasn’t been scoring as regularly, particularly domestically, as Man United fans would want. But there’s a willingness there, there’s an eagerness there. A desire which a lot of the United fans, the majority if not all of them, can see.”
Sunday’s 4-2 FA Cup triumph over Newport County was Hojlund’s United career in a nutshell. 90 minutes of frustration, 90 minutes of his team-mates ignoring those trademark near-post darts, before the Denmark international hammered in a goal of his own making.
His eighth under Erik ten Hag.
Hojlund retains the fans’ support
“Football fans will always cut players a lot more slack if they are totally committet, and so they should do. I’ve given Hojlund a bit of stick for missing chances in the past, and it’s my job to do that. But I don’t mind the fact that he keeps getting into positions. And he has scored some good goals,” McCoist adds of a man who remains the joint-top scorer in this season’s Champions League despite United’s group-stage exit.
“All the attributes are there. And you’ve got to remember he’s still young. There’s no way he’s coming into consideration for my flop of the season so far at this stage. I’m settling on Moises Caicedo.”
With reports indicating that INEOS are lining up Crystal Palace star Michael Olise for a summer transfer, goalscoring opportunities should be a lot more forthcoming for Hojlund in the future.
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