The striker situation at Man Utd is one to follow for the whole season as Benjamin Sesko aims to prove he’s the answer, while Rasmus Hojlund tries to prove at Napoli that they sold the answer.
Benjamin Sesko recently scored his first goal for Man Utd, and the contrast in mentality with Rasmus Hojlund was clear to see.
However, overall, Hojlund has had a much better start to life at Napoli, scoring on his debut and earning the trust of Antonio Conte immediately.
After his latest game, a marquee away fixture at AC Milan, however, the Italian press made the same point about Hojlund as all Man Utd fans will be familiar with.
Rasmus Hojlund’s Man Utd deja vu game for Napoli
It is inarguable that Hojlund failed to match expectations at Old Trafford, even if the club didn’t help him much in getting there.
The Dane, by the end of his time at United, looked like a shadow of his confident self and was stuck in a vicious cycle of low confidence.
He was coming out of that malaise in Naples, re-energised by Conte and a team that played to his strengths.
Therefore, the Milan game is a major setback for him since he effectively had a Man Utd deja vu as he huffed and puffed without reward.
Despite playing 73 minutes, Hojlund had just 16 touches of the ball, completing only seven of his 11 passes while getting dispossessed twice.
It was a game straight out of his United career, where he struggled to get involved if he wasn’t scoring, and the team lacked a focal point as a result.
Italian press make service point about Hojlund
Hojlund not getting enough service at United, and the player not scoring enough goals, became a “chicken and egg” problem at Old Trafford.
Was Hojlund not scoring because he wasn’t getting enough service, or was Hojlund struggling to get involved because he wasn’t scoring?
Nobody knew it for sure, and the same fate has now befallen him on two occasions, including this game against Milan.
Tuttomercatoweb gave Hojlund 5/10 for the game, writing, “Attacks the depth, which is what he was bought for and what he does best, but he’s served poorly and infrequently. As a result, he ends up engulfed by Gabbia and his teammates.”
Il Messaggero also gave Hojlund 5/10, saying he ‘failed’ to get involved and make a mark on the proceedings, a criticism that will sound familiar to United fans.
Goal Italy said Hojlund was easily ‘canceled out’ by Milan, whose defence ‘caged’ him, lending him a rating of 5/10.
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