Rasmus Hojlund is facing one of the toughest assignments in the Premier League due to Manchester United’s current struggles, says Michael Owen.
United’s Boxing Day clash against Wolves ended in a disheartening 2-0 defeat, marking their third loss in just seven days. The game turned in Wolves’ favor early in the second half when Bruno Fernandes received a second yellow card for a reckless tackle on Nelson Semedo. With United reduced to 10 men, their performance deteriorated further.
Wolves capitalized on the situation, taking the lead when Matheus Cunha’s inswinging corner slipped past Andre Onana and into the net. Hwang Hee-chan later secured the victory with a counter-attacking goal in stoppage time. Despite the tactical tweaks made by Ruben Amorim, United struggled to create meaningful opportunities and ended the match with just 0.35 xG.
Hojlund, chosen to lead the attack over Joshua Zirkzee, found himself isolated and ineffective. Michael Owen, speaking on Premier League Productions, highlighted the difficulties faced by the young striker. “They’re absolutely dreadful going forward,” Owen remarked. “I can’t recall a single real chance they created against Wolves. Hojlund… I genuinely feel sorry for the lad.”
He elaborated on the striker’s limited involvement: “In the first half, he received just six passes, and four of those came from defenders—long, hopeful balls. Only two passes were from players who could genuinely help him create something. How is he supposed to make an impact with that?”
Owen’s comments reflected the challenges of playing as United’s lead striker. “I can’t even evaluate his ability properly. After watching him for a season, I’m still unsure if he’s a good or bad player. That’s a damning indictment of the situation. Right now, playing as a centre-forward for Manchester United might be the toughest job in the Premier League.”
He added, “This position was once the dream for every striker in the world, a chance to score goals aplenty. Now, it’s almost a cursed role. I never thought I’d be saying that.”
United’s Broader Struggles
Amorim’s tenure at Manchester United has been fraught with challenges. The team currently sits 14th in the Premier League, closer to the relegation zone than the coveted top-four spots. Owen noted that while United’s defense isn’t their weakest link, their overly cautious approach hinders their overall performance.
“They’re not terrible defensively, but their mindset is too conservative,” Owen explained. “They’re often overly focused on marking, even when it’s unnecessary. Against Wolves, I saw three United players marking a single opponent at the back. That’s not how top teams operate.”
Comparing United’s approach to Liverpool’s attacking style, Owen said, “Liverpool go man-to-man at the back and push any spare players into attacking positions. That’s the kind of mentality Amorim is likely trying to instill, but it’s far from being realized.”
Owen concluded by emphasizing the need for a functioning system. “Even if United managed to stop conceding goals, I wouldn’t be optimistic because the team’s overall structure and performance are severely lacking.”
The pressure remains on Amorim to turn things around as United’s turbulent season continues.
