Manchester United's Hojlund admits adapting to Premier League after stunning show against Wolves

By Sunita Iyer | First Published Feb 2, 2024, 11:51 AM IST

In Manchester United's thrilling 4-3 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday night, Hojlund played a pivotal role, contributing a goal and an assist to secure the win.

Since his summer transfer from Serie A to the Premier League, Manchester United's striker, Rasmus Hojlund, has been gradually acclimating to the demands of English football. Despite a slow start in the top flight, Hojlund's recent performances have showcased his growing confidence and impact on the pitch. The Danish forward broke his Premier League goal drought after 14 games, but his journey has taken a positive turn since then. In the past five matches alone, Hojlund has been directly involved in six goals, highlighting his growing influence within the team.

In United's thrilling 4-3 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday night, Hojlund played a pivotal role, contributing a goal and an assist to secure the win. His assist to Marcus Rashford and his well-timed goal off a Luke Shaw cross demonstrated his ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities and provide vital contributions to the team's success.

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Reflecting on his adaptation to English football, Hojlund acknowledged the faster pace and emphasized the need for quick decision-making both mentally and physically. "I think it is a little bit faster to what I was used to in the Italian League. I think you need to be a split-second faster. need to get used to that. Both physically and mentally you need to be ready before you get the ball," the Danish striker said.

Hojlund also praised his teammate, Kobbie Mainoo, whose match-winning moment drew admiration from the squad. "Mixed feelings. We should’ve closed it off, but I’m really happy for Kobbie Mainoo. All the lads were speaking about him [when I first joined], saying he’s [Mainoo] a generational talent. He is already mature. He’s very calm and, off the pitch, he’s a nice, relaxed guy. You can see he’s calm. He’s an incredible talent," he said.

He added about his own individual performance, "A tough goal. My role is to find the spaces. It’s important to find myself in these situations."

Despite the challenges, he remains optimistic about his progress and contribution to United's objectives, including qualifying for the Champions League and winning the FA Cup.

"I hope this is a turning point [in the season]. We try to win every game. We want to qualify for the Champions League and win the FA Cup. I always tell my teammates that if they play the pass and I’m not there that they can scream at me all they want. But the opposite way, if I’m there and they don’t find me with a pass I can scream at them," he said.

The 20-year-old added, "There’s an old saying with strikers; when you get the first, they keep rolling in. I think my role is to find the spaces where I can be free and normally the manager wants me to go in the front to create space in behind. It is very important."

Hojlund highlighted the evolving partnership in the attacking line, particularly between himself, Rashford, and Alejandro Garnacho. Additionally, the former Atalanta player cautioned his teammates about the consequences of lapses in concentration, citing late goals and costly errors as potential outcomes. He emphasized the importance of United improving their response to such situations.

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