Rasmus Hojlund had a difficult night against Chelsea and the Man Utd striker is continuing to battle through a nightmare season.
Rasmus Hojlund
Ruben Amorim backed Rasmus Hojlund to be a success at Manchester United despite the £72million striker enduring another difficult evening in the Premier League defeat to Chelsea.
The 22-year-old was twice on the receiving end of rollockings from Bruno Fernandes as he struggled to make an impact at Stamford Bridge. He was also too ponderous over one second-half chance and lost his battle with Chelsea centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo.
Amorim admitted after the game that Hojlund "loses a lot of duels" and another blank against the Blues means he has now scored in only eight of his 49 appearances for the club this season, netting just 10 goals.
Despite that, Amorim insisted Hojlund was improving and claimed better times were ahead for the Dane, despite United looking to sign another striker in the summer transfer window.
"I’m happy, of course all the team has to improve, but the way he runs, he fights for every ball, loses a lot of duels, wins some duels, he needs to improve the connection," said Amorim.
"But he is improving. I’m really happy with him, he just needs to continue working hard and better things will come."
Hojlund went through a 21-game goal drought earlier this season and when he ended that barren run against Leicester City in March there was a hope the floodgates would open, but he has scored just twice in 11 games since.
With Joshua Zirkzee out injured he has had to carry the burden of leading the line for the last month and with Chido Obi ineligible he is the only striker registered in the Europa League squad.
He has a more respectable record of six goals in 14 games in the Europa League this season and will lead the line against Tottenham in the final in Bilbao on Wednesday.
United lost 1-0 at Stamford Bridge to fall to an 18th defeat of the Premier League season, but Amorim confirmed afterwards that his players had come through the game unscathed from a fitness point of view.
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