Manchester United have struggled in front of goal this season, scoring just five times across four matches while securing only two wins from these Premier League ties, and it’s evident that Erik ten Hag has to change things up if he wants his team to contend for the title.
Marcus Rashford led the way last season, scoring 30 goals across all competitions, yet he has yet to catch fire this term, netting only once in four league outings, indicating that perhaps he needs more time to get back into his stride.
Bruno Fernandes also proved to be a key attacking outlet for the Red Devils last season, netting 14 times, but like Rashford, he has failed to really get going thus far and Ten Hag will require others to step up and begin contributing.
The Dutchman went all out to sign Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund in the summer transfer window, spending £72m to secure one of the most highly-rated talents on the continent.
Having missed the start of the season due to injury, the youngster will need to hit the ground running and prove to the United faithful why this sort of money was splashed out on him.
How good is Rasmus Hojlund?
During the 2022/23 campaign, the Dane scored 16 goals in all competitions, which included nine for Serie A side Atalanta, having made the move to Italy from Sturm Graz last summer.
He only started 20 league matches for the club, yet ranked third for goals and assists (11), second for shots per game (1.7) and eighth for successful dribbles per game (0.9), indicating that he settled into life well in Serie A, despite his tender years.
Despite these encouraging statistics, when compared to positional peers, Hojlund only ranks in the top 30% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.42), while also ranking in the top 33% for total shots per 90 (2.81), demonstrating that he isn’t quite the finished article yet and there is still some developing to do.
The striker has only scored 27 senior club career goals and Ten Hag is perhaps expecting too much with regard to the youngster leading the line for the Old Trafford side, thus putting a heap of pressure on his shoulders already.
Given their struggles in the final third, what the former Ajax boss would give to have a former United sensation as his main striker right now. The likes of Andy Cole is one such player. He had everything to thrive under the Dutchman, certainly proving to be a bigger talent than Hojlund is currently.
How much did Manchester United sign Andy Cole for?
Sir Alex Ferguson was the master at signing players who were either just about to hit their peak years or had proven that they could thrive in the Premier League.
Andy Cole fits into both of these categories, having spent the previous two and half seasons scoring for fun at Newcastle United.
The Englishman netted 12 goals in the old First Division as the Magpies gained promotion to the Premier League and during the 1993/94 campaign, he exploded into life, making the top flight his stage.
Cole scored a staggering 34 goals across 40 matches as Newcastle finished the season in a wonderful third spot under Kevin Keegan and the good times finally looked to be coming back to St James’ Park.
Ferguson needed another goalscorer and earmarked Cole as the player who could spearhead the United attack for the foreseeable future.
The wily Scot eventually secured his signature for a fee of £7m in January 1995 and although his signing couldn’t help United win a third consecutive league crown, the future was bright.
How many goals did Andy Cole score for Manchester United?
His first two full seasons saw Cole hit just 11 and six league goals respectively as he struggled to live up to the vast hype, numbers indicative of Hojlund's embryonic years in football. Yet, the former finally hit the ground running during the 1997/98 campaign, scoring 25 goals across all competitions.
Having lost the league to Arsenal, Ferguson made sure there wouldn’t be a repeat of this by luring striker Dwight Yorke to the club, and it proved to be a stroke of genius, with him and Cole forming a deadly partnership when deployed up front together.
Their stunning link-up play against Barcelona in the Champions League during their first season together was a joy to behold, and the duo received praise from a variety of figures, including Ferguson himself.
He said: “Andy Cole had a great time with us. He and Dwight Yorke had that fantastic season in 1999 that year they were the best partnership in Europe.”
Commentator Clive Tyldesley even lauded the pair, saying “They are out of this world,” as they led United to a stunning treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup during the 1998/99 season.
Cole would remain at Old Trafford for the next two and half years before making the move to Blackburn Rovers in 2002, where he won the League Cup just a few weeks after his arrival.
Overall, the 15-cap Englishman made 275 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring 121 times in the process while winning five league titles and the coveted Champions League in what was a golden era for the club.
Can you imagine a player like this in the current United team? With creative talents such as Fernandes and Mason Mount producing chance after chance for the striker, and Rashford linking up well from a wide position, it would be a match made in heaven.
Hojlund is still young and relatively experienced at senior level, playing just 88 matches over the previous three seasons but will need to start scoring before the pressure hits unbearable levels. He could well use Cole's example as inspiration.
The latter had everything to be a top-level centre-forward. He was pacy, and could outmanoeuvre even the best of defenders while having a ruthless streak which enabled him to be the main man at Old Trafford for over half a decade.
Hojlund is a wonderful talent and has already shown glimpses of his ability in Italy, but the pressure is greater in Manchester and in order to build on his solid start to life in senior football, he could certainly learn a thing from the success Cole enjoyed at the club.
Plenty of strikers have already tried to crawl out of Cole's shadow and failed; it's now time for the Norwegian to show he won't have the same difficulties. Over to you, Rasmus.