Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney predicted that “more goals will follow” for Rasmus Hojlund, putting the striker’s recent scoring drought down to low confidence, limited service and general bad luck.

Having managed 17 goals off the back of 2023’s £72m transfer from Atalanta, Hojlund has come under even more scrutiny in his second year with United. The Dane, who scored seven times across six Premier League appearances during a purple patch midway through last season, only has two league goals to his name in 2024/25 and hasn’t netted at all since 12 December.

Hojlund has previously been defended by teammate Lisandro Martinez, who insisted that significant responsibility is on other players to sufficiently feed their striker. That was on full display during last week’s Europa League clash with Real Sociedad when Hojlund got across his marker to run into space towards the box, only for Diogo Dalot not to play a simple square pass.

Rooney, who scored a club-record 253 times for United between 2004 and 2017, said he has “faith” in Hojlund, describing him as a “good player who works hard”. In the eye’s of the United icon, the club’s current No 9 can be a reliable source of goals with a better set of circumstances.

“He needs that bit of luck as well, but once he gets a break then more goals will follow,” Rooney explained to BBC Sport in the wake of Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal. “As a striker for Manchester United, when you are not scoring goals there is a lot of pressure and a lot of people questioning if you can do it for United,” the retired England icon added.

“There was one chance [against Arsenal] where his shot was blocked after he had shown fantastic movement to get to the near post. He goes once, he checks back, goes again, got across Gabriel and got a good contact on his shot, so he had done everything right. It is only a great block that stops the goal.

“The one that will be highlighted, though, is the one where Rice gets back and tackles him after the ball breaks for him in the area, and that was purely down to a lack of confidence. You see Hojlund take a touch and then he is looking up to see where he wants to put his shot when he doesn’t have the time for that. That’s the kind of scenario where, as a striker, if you are scoring goals you don’t even have to look up…you know where the goal is. That really showed how much he needs a goal.”

Rooney suggested that the best thing Hojlund can do is go back to basics and “simplify” his game.

“Making runs into the penalty box is as easy as it comes. Hojlund needs to have that desire to get in the box,” he explained, referencing a moment against Arsenal when the ball was out wide. “He goes to go, then for some reason he stops. If he carries on his run then he is in the right place around about the six-yard box to get a tap-in for the winner when Bruno Fernandes’ shot is saved.

“When you are short of confidence you have got to make sure you make it into the penalty area and put yourself in a position where you can score. We are still waiting to see Hojlund find his feet for United, but it’s important to point out that the whole team have not been at their best.

“I feel for him from that point of view because, nine times out of ten, forwards rely on their teammates for service. United have not been playing well or creating enough chances, so he has not been in a team dominating possession, sliding balls in behind the defence or putting balls into the box.”