Premier League

Can Hojlund Be Man Utd’s Main Man?

Rasmus Hojlund is about to face a match at the stadium that will host next year’s World Cup final.

Manchester United’s friendly with West Ham at MetLife Stadium, in the grand scheme of things, is nowhere near as big a deal. But for the Danish striker, it’s crucial.

A crowd approaching 50,000 is anticipated for United’s opening game in the four-team Premier League Summer Series on Saturday evening, just west of New York City.

Hojlund’s performance could determine whether head coach Ruben Amorim keeps faith with him as United’s attacking spearhead.

United have spent more than £120m on forward players this summer – but three weeks before the start of the new Premier League season, do not have the number nine many informed observers believe they are desperate for.

They were frustrated in their efforts to sign Liam Delap – who left Ipswich for Chelsea instead. And on Friday, Amorim hinted Hojlund remains his first choice for the role.

Is he up to the task?

In May, United finished 15th in the Premier League, their worst final placing since relegation from the top flight in 1974. A Europa League final defeat by Tottenham compounded the disappointment.

Vast improvement has to come – Amorim accepts as much.

And for that to happen, his side must score more goals. They managed only 44 in the league last season.

The week before last, minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe met chief executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox in Iceland. It is probably fair to assume the centre-forward position was discussed.

And there is no doubt they wanted Delap. United have been targeting the domestic market because Amorim is keen to add players who do not need time to adapt to the Premier League. But Chelsea sealed the deal.

Since then, the names of numerous alternatives have been advanced.

Viktor Gyokeres was thought of as a target from the moment Amorim was appointed, given how successful the pair were together at Sporting after the 27-year-old had impressed in the Championship with Coventry.

But Gyokeres is heading to Arsenal.

Nicolas Jackson’s name keeps being mentioned in connection with United. There have been conversations about the Chelsea forward, but not to the point where it has looked as if United might try to buy him.

Aston Villa quickly shut down a link to their forward Ollie Watkins, letting it be known they have no interest in selling. Could United put that to the test?

Watkins is an interesting case because he slipped down the pecking order at Villa when Marcus Rashford – unwanted by Amorim – arrived on loan.

Would a more expensive Watkins, 29, who has scored 75 goals in 184 Premier League games be a better option that a cheaper Jackson, who has been excellent and erratic at Chelsea, often both in the same game?

Man Utd to need to raise funds
Former Everton striker Moise Kean, who re-established his reputation in Serie A with Fiorentina, Randal Kolo Muani, back at Paris St-Germain and unwanted after a loan spell with Juventus, and Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta are all likely to be available.

The same is true of RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, although Newcastle is a more likely destination for the Slovenian.

Then there are the wildcard options – out-of-contract forwards such as Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Jamie Vardy.

But none of these options come without risk. And for United, funds are limited and there are so many weaknesses to address.

Amorim referred to the need for more energy in midfield after last Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Leeds in Stockholm.

Amorim didn’t mention the additional issues, but others have: Goalkeeper, central defence, the right-sided wing-back role. The list goes on.

Not all of this can be dealt with in a single transfer window. It is quite possible 12 months from now, if he is still in post, Amorim will still be looking to address flaws that exist now, as well as those that emerge in the coming months.

Funds are precious and United need to raise some.

They might have generated around £30m this summer through sell-ons being activated for Alvaro Carreras, who has left Benfica for Real Madrid, Anthony Elanga joining Newcastle and Maxi Oyedele moving to Strasbourg – plus the covering of Rashford’s wages for the season by his loan move to Barcelona – but more needs to be done.

Rashford was one of five unwanted players effectively cast out of the first-team picture by Amorim – the other four being Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia. More money could be generated by selling those four – but Amorim has warned that they won’t be allowed to leave on the cheap.

Garnacho is a player capable of generating a sizeable fee – albeit not the £60m United went into the summer hoping for. He may be pivotal, especially if Chelsea go back for a player they were close to signing in January.

But for now, Amorim has to maximise what he has.

The case for sticking with Hojlund
Against Leeds in Sweden, 18-year-old Chido Obi started. But the former Arsenal youngster currently appears to be an impact player.

Hojlund took over for the second half. As usual, he worked hard enough, didn’t receive the service a centre-forward would want and did his best for the team.

But, as usual, he didn’t score. He has scored 26 goals in 95 competitive appearances over two years at United – just over a goal every four games.

The numbers are not terrible. But they include a run of five goals in four games last season and eight in eight the campaign before. Statistics can be manipulated to suit any argument – but if those two sequences are taken out, what is left is 13 goals in 83 appearances, or more than six games for every goal. That is clearly not good enough.

The question is whether Hojlund can extend the more productive spells or if they are distorting the overall picture.

On Friday, Amorim gave the impression he has not given up on the 22-year-old, who cost United £72m when they bought him from Serie A outfit Atalanta in 2023.

In his opening media engagement of the summer in Chicago, United’s head coach made a couple of significant points.

Firstly, he insisted he would be happy to go into the new season with his current squad. In truth, he couldn’t say anything else given there are no guarantees of further signings.

Secondly, he confirmed his belief that his attacking reinforcements, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, could both operate as a spearhead in addition to the number 10 roles they appear best suited to.

But it was towards the end of a long unrelated answer, in connection to captain Bruno Fernandes, that Amorim might have given an indication about his thinking.

The coach wants Fernandes to operate deeper, away from those two prized number 10 spots. He thinks the Portuguese can cause more damage that way because he won’t be marked as tightly.

“If you have the threat of players; of Rasmus, Matheus and Brian, in the space and a player with Bruno’s quality on the ball, it’s really important,” he said.

Events can change course quickly at Old Trafford but at the very least, the namecheck suggested Hojlund is likely to get some time on the pitch with Cunha, Mbeumo and Fernandes at the MetLife and beyond.

And if he finds a spark across a trio of pre-season fixtures against West Ham, Bournemouth and Everton over the next nine days, it may cause United’s hierarchy to pause and think.

To a greater or lesser degree, the search for a striker has been a feature of their summer.

Can Hojlund prove he is the answer after all?

Bbc.com

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Premier League

‘Frustrated And Angry’ – Ruben Amorim Lets Rip At Man Utd After Throwing Away Lead Against West Ham

'I'm Frustrated' - Amorim Laments As Man Utd Lose Again

Manchester United had a golden opportunity to climb into the Premier League’s top five — but instead, they left Old Trafford with more frustration, more questions, and a visibly angry Ruben Amorim.

Diogo Dalot’s second-half strike should have been the start of a comfortable win. Instead, it became another night where United looked unsure, unfocused, and unable to kill off an opponent fighting for survival.

And Amorim?
He did not hide his feelings one bit.

United Drop Points… Again

United were coming off a shock defeat to 10-man Everton, and this was supposed to be the perfect response. Facing 18th-placed West Ham — a team with just one away win all season — many expected a bounce-back.

But things didn’t go as planned.

The Red Devils struggled to create clear chances, Bruno Fernandes couldn’t pull the strings, and 19-year-old Ayden Heaven looked shaky in his first Premier League start before being taken off at half-time.

West Ham stayed patient, stayed organised, and took their chance when it came.
Soungoutou Magassa pounced late in the game, smashing home from a corner to make it 1-1.

Old Trafford went silent.
Amorim, however, did not.

Amorim: “We Should Have Closed The Game Out”

The United manager could not hide his disappointment after the match.

“We lost control after the first goal,” he said. “We stopped winning second balls. We defended too far from our goal. We had the game under control and we didn’t win. That is frustrating and that is why I am angry.”

He went further on BBC Match of the Day:
“We should have closed the game with the ball. The game was there to win. We had our moments but we lost control. After the goal, we were sloppy. It’s really frustrating.”

For a manager who prides himself on structure, the collapse in control clearly hit a nerve.

The Heaven-Yoro Decision

Amorim raised eyebrows by starting Ayden Heaven and dropping Leny Yoro. But after Heaven collected an early yellow card and struggled against Callum Wilson, the manager had no choice but to make a switch.

“Of course it was the yellow card,” Amorim explained. “One more foul and it could be another yellow. We also needed him for set pieces. We have to be smarter.”

It was a risky gamble that didn’t pay off — but it wasn’t the main reason United failed to take all three points.

Dalot: “The Game Was Ours To Win”

Dalot, who scored United’s goal, echoed his manager’s frustration.

“We cannot get anxious after scoring,” he said. “We became sloppy with the ball. We knew West Ham would look for counters and set pieces, and it was more our fault than anything they did.”

United have now taken just two points from their last three Premier League games at Old Trafford — and the pressure continues to grow.

Sports Market International Verdict

This is the kind of match top-five teams win without stress. But instead, Manchester United once again handed the momentum back to a relegation-fighting opponent.

From missed chances to lack of control to late lapses, the problems are becoming predictable — and the excuses are becoming fewer.

If the Red Devils want to climb back into the elite category, these are the games they simply must win.

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Premier League

Man Utd Are Spiralling – And Only Have Themselves To Blame For Predictable WSL Struggles

Manchester United Women looking dejected during a WSL match

At the start of the season, everything looked like a fairytale for Manchester United Women. They were unbeaten in their first seven WSL games, they were in the Women’s Champions League proper for the first time ever, and momentum was firmly on their side.

Fast-forward a few weeks, and suddenly the Red Devils are battling to stop a worrying slide — with three defeats in four games knocking the confidence out of a team that once looked ready to challenge the very best.

But here’s the truth:
United’s struggles were predictable — and the club only has itself to blame.

A Bright Start Masked a Big Problem

That early-season high was impressive, no doubt. United were dealing with a crisis-level injury list, with 10 senior players unavailable before October. Marc Skinner often had only two senior outfield players on the bench, yet somehow managed to guide the team through Champions League qualifiers, secure three wins in the league phase, and remain unbeaten in the WSL.

It was admirable.
It was brave.
It was also unsustainable.

Depth? What Depth?

Their recent 3-0 demolition in the Manchester derby exposed the obvious: United simply do not have the squad depth to compete on two major fronts.

Even though City have injury concerns of their own, they still looked fresher, sharper and more prepared. The difference?
No Champions League schedule dragging them through two games a week.

It’s not just United suffering, either. Arsenal, another Champions League side, are facing similar challenges. The reality across Europe is clear:
Small squads struggle. Big squads survive. Elite squads thrive.

Barcelona can get away with using the same number of players as United because their starting XI is stacked with world-class talent. United? Not quite.

When You Can’t Train, You Can’t Improve

The problem goes beyond injuries and rotation.

As Skinner said earlier in the season:
“You can’t coach much.”

With games coming fast and recovery time eating into training sessions, there’s less time to fix tactical issues or build new patterns of play. Everything becomes reactive instead of proactive.

This isn’t noticeable when the team is winning — but the moment form dips, it becomes a mountain to climb.

United’s current rut isn’t caused by one bad performance.
It’s the result of weeks and months without the space needed to improve.

So, What Now For Man Utd Women?

The Red Devils are now seven points off the pace in the WSL and desperately need strong results in their final Champions League matches to advance.

Skinner will continue to demand more.
The players will continue to fight.
But unless United finally build a squad designed for both domestic and European battles, seasons like this will repeat themselves.

The spiral didn’t come from nowhere — it came from predictable, avoidable cracks that are now impossible to ignore.

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Roy Keane Blasts ‘Frightened’ Manchester United After West Ham Draw

Roy Keane reacting angrily during a football analysis session

Manchester United thought they had the job wrapped up at Old Trafford… until they didn’t.

Diogo Dalot’s tidy finish just before the hour mark looked like the moment that would push the Red Devils to a much-needed victory. But in classic 2025 Manchester United fashion, control slipped, intensity dipped, and West Ham pounced.

And of course—when things go wrong—Roy Keane is never far from the verbal action.

“They Weren’t Nasty Enough!” – Keane Fires Shots

After the 1-1 draw, Keane wasted zero time calling out what he sees as the real issue at United: timidity.

According to him, United “took their foot off the gas” right after scoring. Against a team in the bottom three, he expected more authority, more aggression, and definitely more hunger.

Instead, what he saw was a team “almost frightened” of finishing the job.

He slammed the players for hiding when pressure kicked in, criticized their lack of killer instinct, and even called out the relaxed body language during substitutions.

In typical Keane fashion, the message was simple:
United should never be this soft.

Amorim Also Frustrated: “The Game Was Ours To Win”

Manager Ruben Amorim didn’t sugarcoat anything either.

While he didn’t go full-Keane, he admitted:

United lost control after scoring
They failed to win second balls
They should have killed the match earlier
The inconsistency is becoming a real problem

For a team chasing European places, three draws in five games simply isn’t good enough.

West Ham Deserved Their Point

To be fair, West Ham didn’t just sit back and wait. They fought, pressed, countered, and eventually got their reward when Soungoutou Magassa slotted home the 83rd-minute equaliser.

United had late chances, but the story of their season resurfaced again:
moments created, moments wasted.

Where Do United Go From Here?

Sitting eighth on the table, United’s inconsistency continues to be their biggest opponent. Keane believes the team lacks bite. Amorim believes the team lacks control.

Fans believe the team lacks… well, everything except drama.

What’s clear is this: until United find their identity and intensity, nights like this will keep happening.