The news that Rasmus Hojlund has been ruled out of Saturday’s clash with Fulham – as well as the next three weeks – would have hit a Manchester United fanbase feeling oddly and briefly optimistic like a tonne of bricks.
Why can we just not have nice things? If anything typifies this season, it’s this. This accursed, never-ending nightmare of a season. Back came Lisandro Martinez. Oh, there he goes again. Ditto Luke Shaw.
And just a few days after Rasmus Hojlund became the youngest player in Premier League history to score in six on a spin with that match-winning brace at Luton Town, the deadly Dane will now be denied the chance to build on that exceptional recent form after becoming the latest member of United’s walking (or should that be limping?) wounded.
Rasmus Hojlund ruled out for Manchester United
But what if we told you Erik ten Hag has another player who possesses many of the same strengths? One who shares Hojlund’s knack for popping up at precisely the right time in the penalty area? One with the strength and the power to hold off defenders and carry the ball long distances up the park?
Who’s goals-per-game numbers actually places him in 21nd in the entire Premier League, six places above Hojlund, per FBREF?
Now, if there’s a catch, it’s probably that Scott McTominay has not started a game as a centre-forward since his days in the United academy. And even that was a rareity. But if Ten Hag has ever been tempted to try out his box-crashing super-sub in a more advanced position, the opportunity to do just that is here and now, United facing Fulham without Hojlund and Anthony Martial.
Of course, Ten Hag also has the option of shifting Marcus Rashford into a central role. But doing so likely means Alejandro Garnacho is forced to switch over to the left, thus necessitating the return of the horrendously-out-of-form Antony. As such, none of the front three who have terrorised Premier League defences in recent weeks would be deployed in the positions where they have enjoyed their best form of the campaign.
Introducing McTominay from the start, in Hojlund’s place, is about as close to a like-for-like solution as United have.
Hell, they’re both tall and blonde too. From a distance, if you squinted, you’d struggle to even tell them apart.
Scott McTominay is Man United’s matchwinner
“(The trick to scoring goals is) just being alive in the box and being quick with it, and not being on your heels or sleeping in the box,” McTominay said after his late double against Brentford in the autumn, two of the most classic centre-forward finishes you could ever wish to see.
“Whenever there’s a chance for a goal to go in the back of the net, you need to take it. I’ve always thought like that.”
Fulham captain Tom Cairney, speaking ahead of The Cottagers’ trip to Old Trafford, even highlighted the instincts which helped McTominay score vital winners against Aston Villa, Chelsea and Brentford.
“Sometimes you can see (that striker’s knack),” Cairney tells The Footballer’s Football Podcast when asked about McTominay’s occasional appearances as a striker in Man United’s youth sides.
“He is quite sharp with his finishing in the box. It’s like touch, bang. I remember the one at Brentford at home when they came back (from 1-0 down).
“I don’t think that ever leaves you.”
Cairney will be hoping, if Ten Hag finds himself needing another late winner on Saturday in Hojlind’s absence, that those goalscoring instinct do ‘leave’ McTominay this time around.
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