Former Manchester United midfielder Gordon Strachan has identified the two key reasons for Rasmus Hojlund’s upturn in fortunes.
The Danish youngster arrived as a big-money signing from Atalanta in the summer but struggled to find the net in the first half of the season.
Since then, though, he has gone on a fine scoring streak and now has 11 goals for the club, a better return than he managed for the Serie A side last season.
The 21-year-old appears a changed man on the pitch, and speaking to Lord Ping, Strachan credited improved confidence following the goals, as well as a better tactical understanding, for the improvement.
He said: “It’s amazing how much confidence can transform a footballers form, particularly strikers. When you’re lacking in confidence, it can feel like you’re running in concrete boots and then suddenly you score a goal and you’re back.
"It couldn’t have been easy for the young man to join Manchester United at such a young age and be expected to carry the goalscoring burden.
"All eyes have been on him since he joined the club. United’s wingers are fairly static under Erik ten Hag, they stay out wide and that can leave Hojlund isolated.
"Then you start looking for the ball, so you’re moving further away from the part of their pitch where you can be at your most dangerous.
"If you don’t have players around you, that creates problems for strikers and that was definitely an issue for him earlier in the season.
"He has been adapting to a new team in a new league under a new manager. It can take time for a player to find their rhythm and I think that is happening for him at United.”
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