Possessing now missing Luke Shaw to what seems a time-ending injury, Erik ten Hag’s challenges worsened on Friday when star striker Rasmus Hojlund joined his crew-mate in the treatment room.
Manchester United declared that Hojlund, who has been the most in-form striker in the Leading League because Christmas Day, is out for up to a few months with a muscle mass strain.
Anthony Martial is previously out adhering to groin medical procedures, leaving United with out a recognised striker until eventually Hojlund returns.
It is a devastating blow to 10 Hag to eliminate Hojlund, who was on a operate of eight ambitions in his final eight game titles next his brace in the 2-1 acquire at Luton.
United are now heading to have to get innovative to cope with the race for the top four, which sees them fighting with Aston Villa and Tottenham, leaving small margin for error now.
Rasmus Hojlund is struggling with up to 3 months out immediately after choosing up a muscle mass sprain in schooling
It means that Erik 10 Hag is without a recognised No 9 forward of a important operate of matches
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The Dane is established to pass up up to five online games, starting with Fulham’s pay a visit to to Outdated Trafford on Saturday adopted by the FA Cup tie from Nottingham Forest, the Manchester derby and the league game titles in opposition to Everton and Sheffield United.
Hojlund’s variety has played a significant job in United’s turnaround in their time. The previous match he missed, at Forest at the conclusion of December, was the very last time United lost.
The upturn has revived Ten Hag’s hopes of a major-four end as properly as a very good run in the FA Cup after an personal injury-hit first 50 % of the period.
His injury suggests he joins Mason Mount, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Lisandro Martinez, Shaw and Tyrell Malacia on the sidelines.
It is not just the absence of Hojlund which hurts United, it is that his absence will lead to a reshuffle throughout the assault.
With Hojlund as a result of the middle, Marcus Rashford off the remaining and Alejandro Garnacho deployed down the proper, United have performed seven, gained 6 and drawn as soon as.
In six Premier League game titles with each other, United have scored 16 ambitions with that trio foremost the line, functioning out to an average of 2.67 per video game.
With any other attacking blend – used in 28 matches – United have lost 14 periods, winning on 12 situations and drawing the other two with 19 objectives from 19 Premier League online games.
And so Ten Hag now wants to uncover a program that does not disrupt the rhythm they have located considering that the change of the year. He can ill-afford to pay for to see Hojlund’s absence decimate the fantastic operate finished in the latest weeks.
Mail Sport takes a glimpse at some options available to the Dutch manager…
RASH Assault
Marcus Rashford by way of the middle is the only reasonable answer it feels like.
It is a situation he has performed enough times ahead of – even though he prefers enjoying off the still left – and any option would be wholly unorthodox for Ten Hag.
During the 2022-23 campaign Rashford scored an impressive 30 plans in all competitions and is additional than able of changing the ambitions in Hojlund’s absence.
Ten Hag experienced to flip to Rashford in his very first year at Outdated Trafford as the central striker, specifically right after the explosive finish to Cristiano Ronaldo’s time at the club.
Marcus Rashford is the most obvious replacement having earlier performed down the center
It is not a situation he likes but with United short on choices he may well want to embrace the part
‘[Playing on the] still left will make it simpler to stay in the video game,’ Rashford advised Gary Neville on the Overlap previous calendar year.
‘When I was youthful I usually required to be associated in the video game and thats why I assume I battle with participating in centre ahead occasionally, mainly because of my endurance. You could not touch the ball for 20 minutes and then your initial touch could be an option to score.
‘You have to be mentally switched on. It is really pretty much like a goalkeeper you may be in the activity for god appreciates how long, but when it is time to make a help save then you have to make it.
‘I in no way savored that part of it [playing centre forward] but as I have received more mature I’m commencing to delight in it a tiny little bit extra.’
Like it or not, he is likely to have to carry the obligation, starting off with this weekend at house to Fulham.
What it does throw up is who goes on the suitable, with Garnacho expected to slot down the still left side.
Amad Diallo, 21, has been waiting patiently for his possibility when Bruno Fernandes has been utilized there earlier, scoring a fantastic volley down that aspect absent at Burnley.
Omari Forson (center) is a less seasoned alternative but he did appear on away at Wolves
Should Mason Mount recuperate in time, he is yet another selection in a broad space, though Antony has identified himself out of favour but now may well need to be recalled.
An additional selection available would be to advertise academy star Omari Forson to the starting up XI.
He has been a typical fixture on the bench in the latest months as United glimpse to display him a pathway into the to start with crew as deal negotiations rumble on.
Forson came on up best in the 4-3 win around Wolves, which could operate in his favour.
10 Hag is likely to have to have to settle on a entrance 3 in a determined bid to make some chemistry with crucial game titles in the Premier League and the FA Cup on the horizon.
UP Top rated SCOTT
If, for a person purpose or an additional, Ten Hag wishes to adhere with Rashford down the still left and Garnacho down the proper, one solution could be to stick Scott McTominay up major.
It will make McTominay giggle when he is explained to how he employed to be a striker in the academy in his young days.
‘People often said: “You played as a striker as a kid.” I never played as a striker,’ he told club media back in Oct.
‘I played two online games there with [former Reserves coach] Warren Joyce mainly because we experienced no striker. So, anytime I rating a aim, folks usually say: “He employed to be a striker, that is why.”
Scott McTominay (ideal) is joint-top scorer in the league for United this year with Hojlund
‘I never ever utilised to be a striker! I’ve constantly been a midfield player, a No 8, so it is humorous when you listen to things like that.’
The essential nugget in there is that McTominay foremost the line, specified his sizeable body, has been utilised in situation of unexpected emergency just before.
As United’s joint-major scorer in the Leading League this year – stage with Hojlund on 7 – he sure knows exactly where the intention is.
This alternative would permit Rashford and Garnacho to continue their momentum in their remaining and correct wing roles respectively, when also holding Bruno Fernandes in his most popular No 10 function.
Fake 9 FERNANDES
If Ten Hag would like to go rogue, there is the choice for Fernandes as a bogus-nine.
It was a place the Portuguese was handed by previous interim boss Ralf Rangnick, to restricted good results.
Fernandes has some of the vital competencies to properly be a bogus 9, dropping back into midfield and drawing defenders out of placement to enable Rashford and Garnacho to exploit from out vast.
Bruno Fernandes (appropriate) has all the attributes to enjoy as a false 9 ought to Ten Hag eye change
Ethan Wheatley (still left) and Charlie McNeill (ideal) are standard No 9 alternatives in the academy
He could drive, for example, one particular of Fulham’s centre backs into unpleasant positions by stepping out, leaving space in guiding for the wingers.
In concept, which is an possibility, but Fernandes’ tactical discipline has been identified as into concern on far more than one particular situation and that would be a issue as the focal issue of the attack.
He hasn’t scored a league goal given that November and has appeared out of kinds because the flip of the yr.
Staying at No 10 or remaining pushed to the proper feels a much more very likely scenario but by no means say under no circumstances.
ACADEMY CURVEBALL
Now, if 10 Hag genuinely desires to throw a curveball he could seem to the academy set-up for his up coming ahead.
Charlie McNeill, who was on mortgage at Stevenage for the very first 50 percent of the year, is again at the club, even though 18-yr-previous forward Ethan Wheatley scored for the U21s against Manchester Town on Monday night time.
Equally would characterize a huge risk but United have former with chucking young strikers in and acquiring speedy achievement – appear at the early times of Rashford or the explosive debut of Federico Macheda.
However, there is a place on the bench for just one of these two now the front line has been remaining threadbare.