Man Utd’s Hojlund vs Rashford dilemma finally has an obvious answer

Ruben Amorim said from the start that he was the one who would wake up Manchester United in his sleep, he will have to overturn the apple cart.

Predict sound starting lineups has been useless so far, given that he’s so willing to experiment. A selection that raised eyebrows against Ipswich at Portman Road Sunday It was Amorim’s decision to leave with Marcus Rashford as a central striker – a role the unpredictable home striker has rarely filled in recent years.

A Rashford goal in 81 seconds gave Amorim immediate credit for making the big decision. As did Rasmus Hojlund’s lack of willingness to press – which left the new boss speechless – when the Dane came on.

Rashford faded quickly, convincing Amorim to give Hojlund the opportunity to redeem himself against Bodo/Glimt. And the striker earmarked as the club’s number nine for many years to come has at least solved one of the many riddles flooding the new manager’s thoughts.

“He (Amorim) told me not to think too much about the guys behind me and just work on what I can see in front of me,” Hojlund said. “We saw it with the first goal.

“Obviously this is going to take time and we can already see some trends. Now, for us, it’s time to build. For me, this system reminds me of the way I played 3-4-3 at Atalanta. This suits me well.

One of the many reasons Erik ten Hag was released by United’s new lords, Ineos was their dismal European record against mediocre opposition – a series plagued by goals conceded in quick succession with alarming frequency.

Old habits die hard and after another whirlwind start to his second game in charge, Amorim was brought back down to earth as his familiar psychological vulnerability allowed another lowly European side, Bodo, to turn Thursday’s match around evening.

Hojlund came to his new boss’s rescue, however, with two well-taken goals to give Amorim that crucial first victory. As has been a common theme thus far, the show provided the 39-year-old with more questions than answers.

The way the match opened the scoring after 46 seconds gave Amorim a new sense of self-realization. One of the many reality checks the new head coach received on Sunday was that, even for supposedly elite-level footballers, United’s inability to press has been somewhat staggering.

Twice in two weeks, Amorim called on his players to speak out against this problem, ready to point out a flaw that Ten Hag refused to admit needed fixing. An element of panacea has already been found.

Hojlund unusually led the charge from the front, seemingly aware of the thin ice he was on, drawing Bodo goalkeeper Nikita Haikin into an error and giving Stretford’s Alejandro Garnacho the freedom to break the deadlock .

But in the blink of an eye, Amorim’s first European foray threatened to turn sour when Hakon Evjen equalized in stunning fashion into the top corner in the 19th minute.^th minute, before former Watford and Nottingham Forest winger Philip Zinckernagel edged out the less spotted Tyrell Malacia, making his first United start in 550 days, and scored a sparkling strike.

The biggest spectators ever recorded in European competition at Old Trafford were in ecstasy.

Nonetheless, the quality within United’s ranks was never in doubt, with Hojlund the epitome of a limitlessly talented starlet in need of guidance.

“Overthinking” is another buzzword Amorim brings up whenever he’s asked to explain his team’s flaws. Too often on Thursday night, Garnacho got lost in his own head when Bodo presented him with blatant overtures.

Hojlund’s superb strike on the turnaround to level things is exactly the kind of instinctive work Amorim is looking for, finishing off a move born from pressing high up the pitch.

Once Hojlund completed the turnaround early in the second half, heading home after a smooth, flowing move, United at least looked comfortable in their skin with a lead in Europe.

It helps when the number nine does what the manager asks. A lobbying Hojlund will keep him at the forefront of Amorim’s revolution.