Veteran Manchester United midfielder Casemiro defended Rasmus Hojlund’s slow start at Old Trafford and also explained why he grabbed the striker through his blouse against Arsenal last season.
The 20-year-old frontman swapped Atalanta for Manchester in a surprise £72million move over the summer, but has struggled to achieve that value so far, scoring just once in the Premier League in 15 appearances.
And that goal took until Boxing Day to arrive as he netted in the 3-2 comeback win over Aston Villa. However, he was unable to immediately add to that strike after being ruled out of the New Year loss to Nottingham Forest through illness.
Life in the Champions League is different for Hojlund, as he scored five times as United finished at the bottom of their organisation and ended up completely collapsing out of Europe.
And Casemiro was inspired by Hojlund’s attitude, believing that he has a long and wonderful future ahead of him.
The Brazilian also revealed why he grabbed Hojlund by the collar and passionately yelled at him in a 3-1 loss at Arsenal back in early September.
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Speaking to the club’s official website, Casemiro, who remains linked to his departure from the club, said: “At the end of the day, he’s just a kid, so we shouldn’t put too much pressure on him. “. .
“A lot of people think he came on and scored 30 goals straight away. He’s still young and this is his first season in the Premier League.
“As for the pictures you commented on [when Casemiro grabbed Hojlund by the shirt], I was pleased with his attitude!
“The fact is that it is difficult to get into the game in such a difficult match, such as the matches against Arsenal.
“When he came into the fight, he contributed a lot, changing our dynamic, so I tried to tell him how I felt.
A Stretford End winner doesn’t get any sweeter than that ?
Rasmus Hojlund wins our goal of the month for December!☄️ #MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 6, 2024
“He’s definitely betting more on every game and he’s running hard. Rasmus is a committed guy and can’t wait to get started.
“He’ll be a great player for this club and, with the ambitions he has, he could define an era at Manchester United.”
Hojlund has now shaken off his illness and is now in line to make his FA Cup bow when United head to Wigan on Monday evening.
It’s possible that Casemiro himself will even return to action in this game after returning to education this week.
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