Ten Hag insists Hojlund's minutes must be managed
MANAGING MINTUES: Six league appearances have failed to produce a goal for Rasmus Hojlund, whose start at Old Trafford was delayed by a pre-existing back injury. Pic: Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images
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Diogo Dalot’s spectacular match winner ensured the day that will always be remembered for the sad loss of a Manchester United icon ended on a winning note for the club for ever synonymous with Bobby Charlton.
But when the dust has settled on the first consecutive league victories of the campaign for Erik ten Hag, the United manager knows he is staring a genuine goalscoring crisis in the face.
Dalot’s stunning 25-yard shot added to an earlier effort from Scott McTominay, the midfielder United would have liked to offload in the summer but who scored two goals in injury-time off the bench to secure the dramatic win against Brentford last time out.
His three goals now make him United’s leading league scorer, treble the solitary effort from last season’s 30-goal man Marcus Rashord, and three more than Rasmus Hojlund, the Dane who arrived from Atalanta for £72 million this summer.
Six league appearances have failed to produce a goal for Hojlund, whose start at Old Trafford was delayed by a pre-existing back injury, and, while he has goals in each of his Champions League outings for United, the 20-year-old missed three glorious chances at Bramall Lane.
Ten Hag, predictably, offered his unequivocal backing for the less than great Dane but there is the suggestion that the injury is requiring some management by his manager.
“He often played whole games,” said ten Hag. “But the idea behind this, yes, we have to manage his game minutes. But also, there is internal competition for the opportunity.
“Definitely, we have to mange his game minutes, coming up there are many games. We are now in October, until the end of the season there are so many games.
“We need everyone on board. We need everyone sharp, to keep sharp.
If I see the programme for the coming weeks, we have to swap you in games, between games, otherwise we don’t keep the energy and don’t keep the focus in the team and don’t get them so fresh for every game.
“Also, we want to do something with subs to bring a new energy into the team and also, from a tactical approach, we want to do something.” Ten Hag’s hardly-ringing endorsement for the man, who was ultimately taken instead of Harry Kane to spearhead United’s attack, sums up the problems the manager has faced in that department.
United’s 11 league goals are comfortably the lowest in the top 10 while Brighton, one place above them, have scored 22 times in the league.
Thankfully, for the time being at least, a source of goals from unexpected quarters - not least Dalot, a full-back who would be nowhere near ten Hag’s starting ilne-up but for injury and loss of form - is saving his club’s season.
“It means we all have the ability to score goals and help the team,” said Dalot, “We still have to take even more of the opportunities we create, but it shows we are aiming for the same target, which is scoring goals and winning games.
I know that is something I can do even more, nowadays modern full-backs have to be able to defend well and help the team getting forward. This is one of the things I love to do so I’m happy I can score goals as well.”Â
Still, the fact remains that until Hojlund starts to turn his undoubted potential into product, the questions will persist. It does not help, in the short term, that Sunday sees him visit the Etihad for the season’s first Manchester derby and a meeting with City’s own young Scandinavian prodigy, Erling Haaland.
For the time being, with a vital Champions League game against Copenhagen looming tomorrow (TUES), ten Hag can only hope Dalot is correct in his analysis that goals from him, and others, can help ease the pressure on Hojlund and Rashford until they come good.
“I think so, but they are big players, they know to play for Man United you have to handle the pressure,” he said.
“They are forwards, they have to score goals and help with defending, for us it’s the same. We have these high standards at this club and they know that, they know we are there supporting them no matter what.
“They work hard during the week to be able to score in the games and sometimes they score, sometimes they don’t, when they don’t we’re happy others do.” More importantly, on Saturday, Dalot’s effort ensured a victory with which to send off Charlton, a larger than life figure at the club for the best part of seven decades. It may have been an obvious cliche but the theme of winning the game to honour a club legend was no less valid for that fact.
“Massively, we came to the dressing room knowing we had to give everything on the pitch to get these three points and get a little bit of joy for Sir Bobby’s family on a sad day, but I think in this moment we showed we stayed united as a family,” said Dalot.
“When I came to the club, (Sir Bobby came into the dressing room) straightaway after the games, when we win, when we lose, he was always there supporting us, showing us the love that he has for the club and the legend that he is. I was fortunate enough to meet him and know what a legend he still is for this club.
“It shows you what this club is all about, for those that come in they have to know what it takes to be a Man United player, even more if you want to become a Man United legend, these are the standards we have to follow and Sir Bobby is one of the best examples of this.”
: Foderingham 6; Bogle 6, Trusty 6, Robinson 5, Thomas 6; McAtee 7 (Osborn 78, 5), Norwood 6, Souza 5, Hamer 5 (Traore 84); McBurnie 7 (Brewster 51 ,6), Archer 7. Substitutes (not used) Fleck, Slimane, One, Amissah, Seriki, Buyabu.
: Onana 6; Dalot 7, Maguire 8, Evans 5 (Varane 83), Lindelof 6; Amrabat 5, McTominay 6 (Eriksen 63, 5); Antony 5 (Garnacho 63, 7), Fernandes 7, Rashford 7 (Mount 87); Hojlund 5 (Martial 63, 5). Substitutes (not used) Bayindir, Pellistri, van de Beek, Mejbri.
M Oliver 7 Ends
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