Ruben Amorim has sent a strong warning to one Manchester United star despite having his “best game” in the away win over Athletic Club in the Europa League.
Manchester United claimed a dominant 3-0 win over Athletic Club in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final.
United nearly made an early breakthrough with a goal inside four minutes, but it was disallowed for offside. They kept the pressure on, and Casemiro eventually opened the scoring. Soon after, Rasmus Hojlund won a penalty following a foul that saw Daniel Vivian sent off.
Bruno Fernandes converted from the spot and added a second just before halftime, putting United firmly in control.
The Reds continued to press in the second half but couldn’t extend their lead. Nonetheless, they head into the second leg at Old Trafford with a strong three-goal cushion.
Amorim praises Hojlund for “best game” vs Athletic Club
Hojlund did well to win the penalty in the first-half and continued to perform well across the game, which should be important for his confidence.
He has had struggles holding the ball up in the Premier League all season long but looked much better against the Athletic Club defenders. The Dane managed to bring his teammates into play more often on Thursday night.
While he didn’t score, Amorim believes that this was Hojlund’s best performance since he took charge of the club in November last year.
“I think it was the best game that he has had with me as a coach, he helped the team a lot,” the United boss told reporters.
“He secured the ball and then he made the runs and then decided quite well, so it’s a good moment for him.”
Amorim sends warning to Hojlund
Despite offering praise for the 22-year-old, Amorim also warned Hojlund that he has to focus on the upcoming games and look to his teammate, Harry Maguire, in how he can turn things around.
Maguire delivered an incredible cross in the lead up to United’s first goal on the night and has won back the fanbase after consistent performances. It wasn’t too long ago when supporters were calling for him to be sold.
His turnaround is proof that Hojlund can do the same as long as he keeps working hard behind the scenes. Amorim continued: “But like Harry [Maguire], he needs to understand that everything can change.
“So let’s focus on the next one, this is in the past and we have a tough job to doing on Sunday and especially on Thursday.”
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Hojlund played 90 minutes in Bilbao so it is likely that he will be on the bench against Brentford, with Chido Obi set for his first start. He will start against Athletic Club at home, however, and needs to produce another positive performance.
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