Alan Shearer blasts Manchester United's Rasmus Hojlund as goalless run continues

Liam Williams Published: 21 Apr 25 10:36

Alan Shearer has blasted Rasmus Hojlund, saying the forward isn’t ready to lead the line for Manchester United.

Hojlund was taken off after 69 minutes in Manchester United’s 1-0 defeat to Wolves as his woes in front of goal continued. The Dane has now scored just one in his last 18 Premier League appearances, and that came against a side who’ll be in the Championship next season.

Shearer believes the striker is suffering from a crisis of confidence and isn’t yet able to handle the expectation of playing for Manchester United.

Speaking on Match of the Day 2, Shearer said: "I’m looking at a damaged player in Hojlund. I think he wasn’t ready and isn’t ready to lead the line at a club like Manchester United.

"[He’s scored] three Premier League goals and what I’m watching at the minute is a guy that doesn’t really want to get in there. He’s perhaps a second too early or a second too late and his timing is all wrong."

Despite his struggles, Shearer did offer a defence of the struggling forward, admitting that his price tag isn’t helping matters, and that he’s been asked to play a role he’s not yet ready for.

"He’s been put in a really, really difficult situation,” said Shearer. “To lead the line for that football club, you have to be really talented and he’s not at the stage of his career where he should be leading the line.

"I’m not saying there’s not a good player in there, I think there is a good player in there, but I think the pressure that’s been put on him in terms of him having to do what he can’t do, and also the price tag, he’s not really to lead the line as yet."

Hojlund failed to score in his first 14 Premier League games for the club, and while he then found the net in six straight games, scoring seven times, the Dane saw his momentum halted by injury and he’s not quite got going since with six goals in his last 38 matches.

The 22-year-old is enduring a thoroughly miserable campaign at Old Trafford; having scored just three Premier League goals, Hojlund also ranks 122nd in the league for shots on target per 90 and 150th in the league for shots (minimum five 90s played).

Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have combined for just six Premier League goals in 60 Premier League appearances this term, and the struggles of United’s two senior centre forwards will likely see the club look to spend big on the position for the third consecutive summer.

While there doesn’t appear to be one primary target as yet, the likes of Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko are both reported to be on United’s radar.