Rasmus Hojlund broke a Manchester United record after scoring twice in the 4-3 Champions League defeat away at Copenhagen on Wednesday night.
You have to feel for the striker. That is the second time now that he’s scored twice on a Champions League night, only to end up on the losing side.
Like against Galatasaray, some rather calamitous defending undermined much of Rasmus Hojlund’s good work at the other end, while another night of VAR ridiculousness also contributed to a defeat in which Manchester United could conceivably argue that three of Copenhagen’s four goals should not have counted.
Rasmus Hojlund makes Manchester United history
Hojlund, at least, has a place in Manchester United history to show from what looks destined to be a dreadfully short UCL campaign.
He is the fastest United player ever to score five Champions League goals, hitting the mark in just four games. Wayne Rooney, in contrast, reached that milestone in 20 games. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, took 31.
“That proves that, if United give him chances, he will score goals,” United legend Paul Scholes said during TNT Sport’s live coverage after Hojlund put the Red Devils 2-0 up with two typically predatory, close-range tap ins.
Every one of Hojlund’s Manchester United goals, meanwhile, have come in the Champions League. The £63 million signing from Atalanta is yet to open his account in domestic action, with Ten Hag insisting that his out-of-form team-mates must contribute as this throwback of a number nine awaits the sort of service he relies upon.
As ESPN pointed out, the £63 million striker peripheral again during Saturday’s 1-0 win at Fulham, it is now 160 minutes since Manchester United last created a goalscoring chance for Hojlund in the Premier League.
‘He wants to score goals’
“He understands (that we are struggling to create chances). But of course, we speak with him about this. He’s still a young player but he’s smart and understands the situation he’s in,” Ten Hag tells the Manchester Evening News.
“He wants to score goals. He’s so keen and working very hard in training.”
“As a team, we can be better in possession. We can create more and better chances that will give our offensive players more opportunities to score goals,” Ten Hag adds.
“Social-wise, he integrates very good in the team and the club. From here on, he has to take it on and improve. That’s the character of Rasmus. He wants to improve every day.
“It’s lovely to work with him.”
Champions League top scorers 2023/24
Rasmus Hojlund is also the joint-top scorer in the whole of the Champions League, level with Atletico Madrid’s Alvaro Morata.
- Rasmus Hojlund, Alvaro Morata (5 goals)
- Evanilson, Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Antoine Griezmann (4 goals)
- Julian Alvarez, Jude Bellingham, Gabriel Jesus, Brais Mendez, Danylo Sikan (3 goals)
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