Man Utd fans have been waiting for game-changing coaching addition to impact the team, it’s finally happened

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Last season Manchester United scored only 57 goals in the Premier League. This was the joint lowest of all teams in the top 10.

Amid part of a coaching staff shake-up in the summer, Ruud van Nistelrooy came in to replace Benni McCarthy under Erik ten Hag.

Ruud van Nistelrooy is one of Manchester United’s greatest ever strikers, and there was understandably lots of excitement at what he could bring to the club.

To date, there has not been a lot of tangible impact. United have actually gone backwards in front of goal, having failed to net in four of five matches heading into the international break.

And at half-time against Brentford, 1-0 down, United had scored the fewest goals of any team in the 2024/25 season, before a hard-fought turnaround to win 2-1.

Hojlund goal was pure Van Nistelrooy

Manchester United fans have been waiting for Ruud van Nistelrooy’s impact to show, and to be fair it was never going to be instant. Now we are beginning to see it.

Rasmus Hojlund is Manchester United’s number nine, the player who the club most need to start learning from Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Hojlund’s winning goal was pure Van Nistelrooy. An instinctive run, complete control, and a perfectly timed dink over an onrushing goalkeeper.

It was the type of goal the Dutchman used to routinely score for United, with his deft touch just as lethal was his pure power.

Hojlund proved he has subtlety to his game, and is not just brawn and no brains. It was an astutely-judged piece of play, and was the difference to earn United all three points.

If Hojlund can play like this then he can transform the team. After an injury-delayed start to the season, he is now up and running, with a Europa League goal scored before the break too.

Last season Hojlund had to wait until late December for his first Premier League goal.

Mid-October was still longer than was ideal this time around, yet this was only his second league start. There will be no confidence-draining wait this year.

Hojlund enjoyed Van Nistelrooy link

Rasmus Hojlund spoke about his chance to work with Ruud van Nistelrooy after the win against Brentford.

He told MUTV: “Working very close with him [Van Nistelrooy] is a big step for me. He is doing a great job.”

He is not he only one who can benefit. Joshua Zirkzee, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho can all learn from the prolific former striker.

United have now scored seven Premier League goals this season in nine games. It’s nowhere near enough. But the second half against Brentford offered the first signs that there might have been a bit of a breakthrough.