Wayne Rooney has just agreed with Ruben Amorim on £64m Man United transfer

When we look back at the 2024/25 season, it will best be surmised as being a failure thanks mainly to the lack of goals being scored by this Manchester United squad.

Do not get us wrong, the defence and midfield are not blameless, after all it is not like a whole host of chances are being created every single week, but the lack of a cutting edge has been the main difference between United and the majority of the Premier League. While it is widely agreed that Joshua Zirkzee is not the No.9 that Erik ten Hag wanted him to be, it is perhaps Rasmus Hojlund who has disappointed the most in recent weeks.

When signed for £64m from Atalanta, there were comparisons made between himself and Manchester City's Erling Haaland. Two blonde hair, physical, Scandinavian, centre-forwards who were ready to do battle in the Premier League. And while we have seen glimpses of what he can do, Hojlund has shown nowhere near the consistency needed to be compared to Haaland.

That is perhaps why Hojlund's form has been more frustrating than Zirkzee's. We know what the Dane can do when he is in top gear and should be pushing on now.

Currently, United are not in the position to sell Hojlund as he is not currently performing to a standard whereby the club could make their money back or a profit. As such, a solution needs to be found to get him back to his best.

As it happens, both Wayne Rooney and Ruben Amorim believe they have the solution to Hojlund's problems and remarkably it is the same. Following the draw to Real Sociedad on Thursday, the United head coach said: "He (Hojlund) is trying really hard, he gave everything, he made the runs.

"We know that Sociedad has the high line, he uses his pace to win and to fight. And the other thing is he’s going to appear in the right moment, he has to continue to play and not be anxious.

"In that position with Diogo [Dalot], he did a great run, was in position, sometimes the ball comes, sometimes it doesn’t." And Rooney would add on Sunday following the draw against Arsenal on Match of the Day 2: "There was one chance where his shot was blocked after he had shown fantastic movement to get to the near post.

"To me that really showed how much he needs a goal right now, but all he can do is keep working. I've got faith in him.

"The best thing for Hojlund to do is simplify it. Making runs into the penalty box is as easy at it comes.

"When you are short of confidence you have got to make sure you make it into the penalty area and put yourself in a position where you can score, so that is something he can improve on." The good news for Hojlund is that what he needs to improve on is relatively minimal but the bad news is that relatively minimal improvement is the difference between greatness and failure.

He has effectively been told by his manager and one of the club's greatest ever strikers that he needs to carry on making the runs and hope the tide will turn. It is not a case of flipping the switch overnight and managing to suddenly come good again.

The hardest thing for Hojlund is not to adopt this advice but not get to a stage where he is so disheartened that there is no coming back. It seems obvious but it is worth mentioning, Hojlund needs to break this current run with at least one goal before the season ends or else this becomes an even bigger issue than it already is.

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