Erik ten Hag says £85,000-a-week player was Man United’s star in the Champions League this season

Add as preferred source on Google

Manchester United crashed out of the Champions League last night, but Erik ten Hag still feels there are positives his side can take – he named Rasmus Hojlund as an example.

The Red Devils were put into what many felt was an easy group. Bayern Munich were always the favourites to win it, but Manchester United certainly had enough to beat Copenhagen and Galatasaray. However, they finished bottom of their group and will not play in any European competition this season.

Erik ten Hag praises Rasmus Hojlund’s Champions League performances for Manchester United

All Manchester United needed to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League was three wins in six games.

The Red Devils, however, only managed one victory in the entire competition, and that came against Copenhagen in a game in which the Danish side failed to convert a last-minute penalty.

Erik ten Hag must be really disappointed with his side’s display in the group stage of the Champions League, but the Dutchman is still keen to focus on the positives.

One such positive, he says, is the performance of Rasmus Hojlund, whose numbers look really, really good in the competition.

Ten Hag said, as per Manchester United’s official website: “Football is always when you don’t get the points, it’s that you are not qualifying. You have to take that, as a coach and a manager, and you have to look at the performances.

• READ: Paul Scholes delivers his verdict on Rasmus Hojlund’s display for Manchester United v Bayern Munich

“We had some good performances in the Champions League, with attacking football, but, at the end of the day, we don’t have the points to qualify.

“We have to accept it and learn from it. We’ve played some good football in the Champions League; for example Rasmus Hojlund scored five times and that’s a very good performance, and he has to take that belief into the Premier League. I think that counts for the whole team.”

Rasmus Hojlund needs to start firing in the Premier League

Manchester United signed Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta in the summer for £72 million (Sky Sports). 

The £85,000-a-week (Spotrac) Dane is a terrific talent. He has all the qualities to become a top striker in the coming years, but he needs to start finding the net now.

Five goals in six Champions League games is a great record, but zero direct goal contributions in 12 Premier League appearances is really concerning if you’re a United fan.

Hojlund needs to break his duck in the Premier League, and what better place to do it than at Anfield against Liverpool this weekend?!