Manchester [UK], November 22 : The iconic Swedish forward Henrik Larsson revealed the qualities that impressed him about young dynamic Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund.
The 20-year-old Danish striker is yet to make his mark in the Premier League, but, in the UEFA Champions League, he has made his presence felt by scoring five goals in four matches becoming the joint-leading goalscorer in the tournament.
Larsson who was a prolific goalscorer in the tournament pointed out Hojlund's pace and physicality impresses him the most.
"I watched him when United played against Copenhagen at Old Trafford. I liked what I saw. He is a striker with some speed. He was willing to go beyond the opponents' back four or back three, however, you want to see it. It's early to say, but he looks interesting because physically, there is a presence about him. It's going to take some time before he settles in. He's new to the club and getting used to the other players. But hopefully, for United, he can be a good striker," Larsson told Manchester United's official website.
Larsson was prolific for Celtic and the Swedish national side during the 1990s and 2000s, before joining Barcelona and Manchester United on loan during the final years of his decorated career.
During his time on the field, the default system usually involved two strikers playing together. The game has undergone a drastic change since then and the modern team formations tend to demand the No.9 player to occupy the central areas on their own.
Henrik feels Hojlund has the strength to fulfil both roles if the need arises and said, "I think if you're playing up front in any system, one or two, you always should be able to keep the ball, because you're not going to be with your partner all the time, even if you're playing two up front. So I think that's the skillset that you need to have as a striker, because more often than not you're going to have your back towards the goal."
"And then you need to be able to both keep the ball, but also see where your team-mates are and be able to play the knock-back to one of your midfield players coming up and then going beyond again. So I think that's the skill set that you need to have in any system you play. Obviously, a lot of teams are playing with three up front, and that means that you're going to be on your own [in the middle] more often than not. But I think that he has the physical presence to do both things," Larsson added.
The Red Devils will face Everton in the Premier League on Sunday at the Goodison Park.
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