Rio Ferdinand has issued advice to struggling Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund after the £72million star attracted negative headlines following his performance against Wolves.
The Danish forward, who scored 10 league goals in his debut Premier League season last year after arriving from Atalanta, has only bagged three times in 28 league appearances this campaign.
The 22-year-old was substituted after 70 minutes following another fruitless display in Manchester United's 1-0 home loss to Wolves on Sunday.
His performance led to Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer labelling him 'damaged' in a stinging review of where Hojlund is at right now,
But Ferdinand, who won six league titles and the Champions League in a 12-year spell at United, has offered Hojlund advice, telling him to 'simplify' his game and 'strip it back' to his strengths.
Speaking on the Rio Present podcast, the pundit said: 'He's got to get hold of the winger and say "this is what I need. When you're in these positions this is what I'd like."
He added: 'Lets take it back. Put yourself in positions to show your best attributes. At the moment we're seeing far too many of your weakest attributes.
'You need to free yourself up from any contact and start running.
'That's the one big thing I would say to any player struggling for confidence. Strip it back, simplify and do what has got you there.
Former United midfielder Owen Hargreaves added: 'I think the moments you see him struggle are when his back is to play. So don't put yourself in that spot all the time, spin.
'The guy is one of the quickest players in Europe by the way.
'The problem is he gets caught all the time, he takes too many touches.
Hargreaves said the struggling striker should model himself on Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski.
Hojlund came under criticism following Sunday's defeat and was branded 'damaged' by Premier League legend Alan Shearer.
'I'm looking at a damaged player in Hojlund,' Shearer said on Match of the Day 2. 'I think he wasn't ready and isn't ready to lead the line at a club like Manchester United.
'Three Premier League goals, and at the minute I'm seeing a player that doesn't really want to get in there.
Manchester United's season reached another low as they lost their 15th league game against Wolves, despite a stunning comeback against Lyon three days earlier.
A Pablo Sarabia free-kick clinched the win for the visitors after Hojlund was hauled off.
With just five fixtures remaining, Ruben Amorim's side sit in 14th, a mere two points above 17th-placed West Ham, and are the league's sixth-lowest scorers.
Davichi
0
useless player lmao keep defending maguire is better at striker than Danish haaland
Oh, no wonder... you support Al nassr. 😂🤣
Davichi
0
useless player lmao keep defending maguire is better at striker than Danish haaland
It's only one without football knowledge that will say such crap. The fact hat you say such tells me you can't understand until.
wecelmno
0
What do you mean by nowadays? Is it because he did it about 2 times in the last game? You don't get it... There are times he ought to make a through pass forward to Hojland in good position but he keeps running to look for shooting opportunities, when he doesn't find one before he thinks of passing at which point Hojland's position is gone... that poor decision making for a winger.
useless player lmao keep defending maguire is better at striker than Danish haaland
Toyemnpstu
0
Damaged by Amorim’s system
Davichi
0
bro nowadays Garnacho changed .. he keeps cutting balls into penalty area bt Hojlund will always be no where to tap in.. so technically Hojlund is poor at positioning himself
What do you mean by nowadays? Is it because he did it about 2 times in the last game? You don't get it... There are times he ought to make a through pass forward to Hojland in good position but he keeps running to look for shooting opportunities, when he doesn't find one before he thinks of passing at which point Hojland's position is gone... that poor decision making for a winger.
mozelynx
0
Ferdinand made a very important point here 👇 'He's got to get hold of the winger and say "this is what I need. When you're in these positions this is what I'd like." Garnacho, especially, isn't getting the ball to Hojland in the right positions... he prefers to go for goal himself and it's when he can't find the chance he thinks of passing at which point Hojland is already blocked off. Hojland himself needs to be more clever with his runs and know when to drop off the defenders instead of running all the way to the penalty spot.
bro nowadays Garnacho changed .. he keeps cutting balls into penalty area bt Hojlund will always be no where to tap in.. so technically Hojlund is poor at positioning himself
vyseherzel_
0
ten hag useless
Davichi
2
Ferdinand made a very important point here 👇 'He's got to get hold of the winger and say "this is what I need. When you're in these positions this is what I'd like." Garnacho, especially, isn't getting the ball to Hojland in the right positions... he prefers to go for goal himself and it's when he can't find the chance he thinks of passing at which point Hojland is already blocked off. Hojland himself needs to be more clever with his runs and know when to drop off the defenders instead of running all the way to the penalty spot.
Bendiga
0
Rio stfu , you emotional bipolar prat
repakmnoy
0
average player
vohbcdkmo
0
overpaid