Hojlund celebrates his winning goal
Hojlund celebrates his winning goal
Having conceded from three set pieces last week, Manchester United scored from one this week.
The whole dugout leapt from their seats to greet Rasmus Hojlund’s 88th-minute winner from a cute Bruno Fernandes pass. Carlos Fernandes, Ruben Amorim’s assistant tasked with overseeing dead-ball kicks, has cause to be pleased with himself.
Amorim barely celebrated Hojlund's winner but this was a personal victory for the head coach. This was the first game he had a profound impact through in-game changes and it earned United a first European away win since March 2023.
The temperature plunged to -3 in Plzen and on a night when some United players froze, they eventually warmed up. Hojlund, Mason Mount and Antony upped the tempo after a drab first hour.
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Hojlund's clincher was so worthy of celebration that Andre Onana dashed the length of the pitch to join the throng. Nobody will have been more relieved than Onana after his error gifted Plzen an early second-half advantage but this was also a significant win for United - only their second away from home this season.
Amorim, ever present in the technical area, was more intense than some of the players he selected on the pitch. Seven of United's outfield players had gloves on and the lethargy on show jarred with the demands of a head coach who is gradually sussing out some of the mediocrity that he has inherited.
The United coach often turned to the dugout and lamented the decision-making in a first half where United had one shot on target that came in the 31st minute. Amorim's refusal to countenance such lowly standards has elevated United into the top eight that automatically progress to the last 16 of the Europa League for the first time.
For an hour, this was not a game to beat the rush hour and get home for and the tone was set with 90 seconds on the clock. Amorim clapped his hands to signal to Joshua Zirkzee, loitering by the halfway line, to press. Fernandes also erupted at Zirkzee for playing a hospital pass that provoked him into conceding a foul.
United fans have largely heeded Amorim's advice to not chant his name yet there is such little affection for the current squad on the terraces. The only name aired by the 640 fans in the first half was Eric Cantona's. Hojlund is yet to earn a chant but it is a matter of time.
A minute after Zirkzee was put out of his misery, United equalised through Hojlund. The Dane struck within six minutes of his arrival and now has more than double the number of goals as Zirkzee this season. Hojlund's campaign began in mid-September due to injury - a month later than Zirkzee's.
This was also the second game running that Hojlund tapped in on the rebound, an essential habit for any predatory striker. Amorim has celebrated equalising goals the most fervently but on this occasion immediately urged the players to hasten the restart. Unlike Zirkzee, Hojlund did not require any direction. His immediate instinct was to fish the ball out of the net. He put it there a second time.
Less than three weeks on from his first fixture in United colours, Amorim is already reliant on a small pool of forwards. Marcus Rashford was the first to make way in the 56th minute and there was no acknowledgement between player and manager. Amorim did high five Zirkzee and Tyrell Malacia when they were withdrawn four minutes later.
Rashford had been yellow-carded and a risky foul early in the second half may have ensured his number was up before Zirkzee's. This was another ignominious night for a player whose love affair with his boyhood club often feels loveless.
The overpriced substitutes Antony and Mount were more threatening than Zirkzee and Rashford. Antony incisively played Amad in to contribute to Hojlund's leveller and the busy Mount had two clear goalscoring chances. His was a compelling audition to start against City.
If Zirkzee was dilatory, the doziness was more acute in United's own third as Onana's mental capitulation continued. Cornered by Arsenal, a clanger against Nottingham Forest and another error here. His casual and underhit pass was intercepted by boyhood United fan Pavel Sulc to tee up Championship veteran Matej Vydra.
Zirkzee's race is already run. Amorim's system revolves around providing depth to the striker and Zirkzee is out of his depth. His style jars with Amorim's and he will be back on the bench for the derby.
Amorim made another five changes to the starting XI, taking the total up to 28 across the past five matches. He will almost certainly have decided on his XI for Sunday's contest at the Etihad before United touched down in Plzen. Amad, hitherto the standout player of the Portuguese’s reign, completed 90 minutes for the second match running, which will raise doubts as to whether he lines up against the Premier League champions.
Fernandes was truculent again with Amad for having the temerity to pass the ball to Rashford rather than the United captain in the 23rd minute. Amad went the right way but the pass was poor and the shot worse. Rashford's reaction was more in frustration at the service than his finish.
As it is derby week and they are in worse form than United, the travelling reds went through their repertoire of anti-City chants. They changed to a more celebratory tune at full-time, with Fernandes serenaded.