Man United's entire season may hinge on Hojlund adapting quickly

Manchester United fans protest against the ownership of the club by the Glazers after the final whistle of the Premier League match at Old Trafford, Manchester. Picture: Nick Potts/PA Wire 

Premier League: Man United 3 Nottingham Forest 2 

THE impressive, peaceful impassioned protests continued inside Old Trafford for an hour after Manchester United’s thrilling comeback victory against Forest although, for once, it was not just the despised owners, the Glazers, who were the object of the sit-in.

Chants of “sack the board” not only reflected a wretched week in which the club has badly mishandled the end of the Mason Greenwood legal saga but also references what looks like another underwhelming transfer window overseen by United executives.

Over £100 million has been spent on a goalkeeper, Andre Onana, and midfielder Mason Mount, who has picked up an early-season injury, as well as £72 million on striker Rasmus Hojlund.

The experience of the opening three games of the campaign suggests the speed with which the 20-year-old Dane adapts to the English game, once he recovers from a back injury that has prevented him playing to this point, could determine United’s entire season.

The body of evidence to support United's work in the transfer market in the decade since Alex Ferguson left the club is not positive. Yes, the Glazers are correctly criticised - to use the politest word possible - for the manner in which they take money out of the club but the argument can be made that it has been their appointment of inept executives that has proved far more damaging.

More time and effort than is healthy has been spent in the current window trying to offload expensive mistakes such as Harry Maguire, Anthony Martial and Eric Bailly, while Antony and Jadon Sancho head a list of players still trying to justify hefty fees.

It is against that backdrop that Hojlund will take his bow. The Dane had one full season in Denmark, another in Austria and a third shared with his 32-game Serie A career at Atalanta: a grand total of 18 league goals to his name and plenty of unknowns to go with considerable potential.

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes celebrates scoring their side's third goal of the game during the Premier League match at Old Trafford, Manchester. Picture: Nick Potts/PA Wire 

It is a pedigree that his international team-mate Christian Eriksen has no doubt will translate to the Premier League.

“He’s a guy who holds his ground,” said Eriksen. “He doesn’t back down from anything.

“He’s really a front-foot guy who is aggressive and really attack-minded. But, at the same time, a nice guy outside of football.

“I will definitely pass my experience on but he will see it for himself, that the Premier League is different compared to any league he’s been in before.

“So he’s going to have to adapt. But I’m sure he will adapt quickly.” 

For United’s sake, Eriksen needs to be correct. The fact is that, well over a year since he took the United job, Erik ten Hag has yet to identify a definitive solution to United’s lack of a proven number nine.

There are numerous players who can fill that position, especially if ten Hag opts for the popular “false nine” formation, but Anthony Martial has not completed 90 Premier League minutes since January 2021 and has started just 14 of United’s last 89 league games.

The French striker’s United career remains one of largely unfulfilled promise and another example of a fee - eventually around £45 million - that has not offered value for money.

Like so many before him at Old Trafford, Hojlund will carry with him the burden of a price tag that raised eyebrows. The presence of an orthodox nine will allow Marcus Rashford to play in his favoured left-wing position, with Antony on the right and Bruno Fernandes in the ten position.

Rashford and Fernandes, in particular, were instrumental as United roared back from a disastrous opening four minutes in which they conceded goals to Taiwo Awoniyi and Willy Boly.

Rashford set up Eriksen for a first-half goal, Fernandes was superb in a set-piece which ended with a Rashford lob, Fernandes header and Casemiro finish.

And Rashford was tripped by Danilo to concede the penalty which Fernandes converted for the winner, 10 minutes after Joe Worrall had been shown a straight red … for a foul on Fernandes.

Theirs were two of a handful of impressive individual performances for United although questions persist about the ability of United’s stars to function as a cohesive unit. A fit for purpose number nine may go some way to solving one of the current problems.

MAN UNITED (4-2-3-1): Onana 7; Wan-Bissaka 5, Varane 6 (Lindelof 45, 7), Martinez 6, Dalot 5; Casemiro 7, Eriksen 7; Antony 8, Fernandes 9, Rashford 7; Martial 5 (Sancho 60). 

Subs not used: Henderson, Maguire, Sancho, Pellistri, McTominay, Fernandez, Gore, Garnacho.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST (3-4-2-1): Turner 5; Boly 7, Worrall 5, McKenna 5 (Niakhate 56, 6); Aurier 5, Danilo 6, Yates 6, Aina 6; Johnson 6, Gibbs-White 8; Awoniyi 7. 

Subs not used: Horvath, Williams, Kouyate, Wood, Elanga, Freuler, Montiel, Uj-jo.

Referee: S Attwell 7