Roy Keane has savaged Rasmus Hojlund, Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho and instructed nearly each Manchester United participant might go away if any golf equipment need them – however Ruben Amorim defended the Denmark striker after he drew one other clean at Chelsea.
Marc Cucurella’s 71st-minute header proved the one objective of the Premier League game at Stamford Bridge as United prefaced their Europa League ultimate in opposition to Tottenham in Bilbao on Wednesday (20:00 BST) with their 18th league defeat of the season, producing a solitary shot heading in the right direction.
“Garnacho simply runs by him,” United legend Keane mentioned of Cucurella’s winner, talking to Sky Sports activities. “He doesn’t deal with him, he’s not aggressive.
“They’ve acquired no striker. [Hojlund] regarded like a younger child for Chelsea who’d simply come out of the academy. His runs weren’t proper, his timing, his hold-up play.
“We hold making excuses for him and speaking about confidence however if you’re a striker up there, you’ve acquired to make one thing occur generally.”
🗣️”He regarded like he’s simply come out of the Academy”
Roy Keane was not impressed with Rasmus Hojlund vs Chelsea… pic.twitter.com/PKOFwKfuA8
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 16, 2025
Rasmus Hojlund stats: ‘Not adequate’
Hojlund joined United for a charge price as much as £72 million from Atalanta in August 2023 however has scored solely 4 occasions in 31 league video games this season, together with a 13-game run with no top-flight objective lasting greater than three months.
“The large golf equipment and United have all the time had strikers who can create one thing even after they’re not getting nice service as a result of they’ve acquired a little bit of high quality, need, willpower, expertise, soccer intelligence,” mentioned Keane, who received the title seven occasions on the membership between 1994 and 2003.
“We don’t see that with Hojlund. He wants a bit of little bit of assist however my goodness, generally you’ve acquired to do a bit higher.
“Hojlund needs to be a 3rd or fourth-choice striker and be taught his commerce off good strikers. He’s not adequate to be the primary man. He’s missing in confidence and perception, and he’s not surrounded by brilliance, both.”
Amorim: Hojlund ‘enhancing’
United supervisor Ruben Amorim mentioned he was “actually completely satisfied” with Hojlund, who’s a part of a crew on a seven-game winless league run.
“All of the crew has to enhance however [I like] the best way he runs, fights for each ball and loses a number of duels, wins some duels,” added the Portuguese, who was appointed in November however has accepted he might go away the membership if outcomes don’t enhance quickly.
“He wants to enhance the connection, however he’s enhancing. He simply must proceed to work arduous and higher days will come.”
“It helped me to decide on the beginning XI” 👀
Ruben Amorim on what Man Utd realized from their loss to Chelsea forward of the Europa League ultimate 🏆 pic.twitter.com/YDVFkkobqb
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 16, 2025
Man United transfers
Keane struggled to call a United participant who wouldn’t be out there for the proper worth this summer time, which can precede a Champions League marketing campaign in the event that they win the Europa League.
“Bruno [Fernandes] springs to thoughts as a result of he’s a superb participant,” mentioned the previous United captain. “There’s discuss Garnacho, you have a look at [Harry] Maguire.
“There’s a giant resolution on the goalkeeper [Andre Onana]. You want a world-class striker. However it’s who is available in for these gamers.
“Garnacho, Mainoo, Hojlund – I wouldn’t be hanging my hat on these three. Mainoo was strolling across the place, a few of his passes had been sloppy. Garnacho is immature… he doesn’t flip up week in, week out.”
England defender Maguire had a masterful early end dominated out for offside in opposition to Chelsea, assembly Bruno Fernandes’ supply from the left with a thunderous first-time strike contained in the field earlier than his celebrations had been ultimately deemed futile following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and semi-automated offside examine.
