Manchester United legend Andy Cole has insisted that one player at Old Trafford has a playing style that is built to “hustle” and “fight and fight” for the ball.
Ruben Amorim closed out the Red Devils’ woeful 2024-25 Premier League season in May, with the Red Devils ending the campaign in 15th place in the league table.
Manchester United’s form fell off a cliff last season and Ruben Amorim oversaw a tough start to life at Old Trafford after his arrival from Sporting CP last November.
Erik ten Hag was sacked as United manager last October and the Red Devils ended the 2024-25 season with only 11 Premier League wins from 38 matches.
The Red Devils lost a whopping 18 times alone in the Premier League last season and United finished the campaign 17 points clear of the relegation zone.
Amorim’s men missed out on sneaking back into the Champions League for the 2025-26 season after United’s Europa League final defeat to Tottenham.
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Andy Cole is interviewed prior to the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC at Old Trafford on September 29, 2024, in Manchester, United Kingdom.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
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Andy Cole reveals the ‘advice’ that he would share with struggling Man Utd striker Rasmus Hojlund
Ruben Amorim was forced to watch on from the touchline as the Red Devils showed their poor form in the final third of the 2024-25 Premier League season.
The 40-year-old United manager was left short in attack with the struggles of Red Devils strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee as his main striking options.
Rasmus Hojlund disappointed in his second full season at Old Trafford and the Danish forward only netted 10 times in 52 matches across all competitions.
Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, Andy Cole opened up on the advice that he would offer United striker Hojlund when he is leading the line for Amorim’s men.
“I think with Rasmus, I have said this many times: he is an old-fashioned centre-forward,” he said.
“He wants to hustle and fight and fight.
“If I were to ever give him any advice, just get hold of the ball, get two touches, three touches at worst, and move. Get it down, let it off, and move.
“Get yourself into the box as much as you can, no matter how many you miss, but you are in that position where you are getting those chances to miss; it is as simple as that. Stick to basics, don’t complicate anything.”
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Why Andy Cole thinks Man Utd players like Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee are now struggling at Old Trafford
Rasmus Hojlund has been linked with Inter Milan and the 22-year-old United striker’s future at Old Trafford remains uncertain amid his poor run of form last season.
United legend Cole believes that the Denmark international and Red Devils striker Joshua Zirkzee have struggled due to the lack of other players they could learn from.
“When you go to clubs like Man United, I was fortunate, I had players that I could learn from,” he explained.
“I think these two guys here have gone into the deep end, trying to learn from each other and both adapting to a new league, both adapting to an unbelievable club like Manchester United.
“When people used to say Man United was a graveyard for number nines, it has been proven over the years. These guys here need time and experience, and are totally different players.”
United will begin their pre-season campaign in July ahead of their Premier League opener for the 2025-26 season against Arsenal at Old Trafford in August.