Dimitar Berbatov issues Rasmus Hojlund demand amid Man Utd goalscoring woes

12 January 2024 , 06:00

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Ex-Manchester United star Dimitar Berbatov has told Rasmus Hojlund to "be brave" after offering a mind-numbing solution to his goalsoring troubles.

The Dnaish forward has struggled for form since his £72m summer switch to Old Trafford from Atalanta. He has scored just one Premier League goal in 15 outings.

That has seen Erik ten Hag’s side score just 22 goals in the league this term - only Burnley and Sheffield United having scored fewer. Berbatov - a scorer of 56 goals in 149 Man United appearances - believes it is all a case of mindset for Hojlund and thinks the end to his woes is on the Carrington training pitches.

Speaking exclusively with Mirror Football, the former forward and current Betfair Ambassador said: “I know exactly what he was going through when he didn’t score a goal because every striker have a spell with not scoring goal, maybe a short one, maybe a long one.

“I know how difficult it can be in that circle of thinking ‘Am I ever going to score a goal? What is going on? Am I good enough? Am I doing enough for my teammates, for myself?’

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“All this thinking going through my mind and how difficult it is to think like that. He needs to stop thinking like this. That is negative thinking. It’s going to put you nowhere. It’s the simple things.

Rasmus Hojlund has just one Premier League goal to his name this season (Getty Images)

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“Go to the training ground and if you need to, stand in the front of the empty goal, take someone to cross you the ball and tap-in, tap-in, tap-in and move further from the goal. Do the same. Further, do the same. Try different positions just to get the habit of knowing the goal. Implement this into training and this is it.”

Amid Hojlund’s ongoing issues in front of goal, Man United have been linked with a move for a striker in January. After signing Burnley’s Wout Weghorst on-loan last season, the Red Devils have been tipped to explore the loan market once again.

Bayern Munich’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has been linked with a temporary switch, while Stuttgart’s Serhou Guirassy could represent a bargain option after his stunning first-half of the season. Berbatov believes the call for extra options in attack is only natural but thinks it would be better for Ten Hag to stick with his current options.

He added: “If you sign a centre-forward, what kind of a message does that send Rasmus? They signed him to score goals and he’s a young player and for the future. Now, if you sign someone else for his position, he’s going to think ‘wait a minute, what is happening here?’

“Of course, someone will say competition is healthy so you fight for your place that’s also an option. Personally, I think as difficult as it is in the situation for the strikers at United, they are very young.

“Rashford is also young but he’s very experienced, been there for a long time. He’s the guy that needs to take charge of everything. He’s the guy who knows the place in and out. He needs to be the guy that leads Rasmus, Garnacho.

“These young players, these players need to be first strong in the head and brave enough to push through difficult times. Even if you don’t score, run, fight for your position. The ball will come and try to score.

“If United try to sign a striker, it’s United competition, it must be there for places. If you’re not ready, that’s how football works, someone else will come.”