On Wednesday night, Rasmus Hojlund made his mark in Manchester United’s history books, despite their disappointing 4-3 loss to Copenhagen.
Rasmus Hojlund scored two spectacular goals in the first half, putting the Red Devils in a strong position for an easy win.
However, their momentum shifted when Marcus Rashford received a red card for a challenge on Elias Jelert, which was confirmed by VAR. This turned the game around.
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Copenhagen quickly narrowed the gap with a goal from Mohamed Elyounoussi, followed by Pedro Goncalves converting a penalty, setting up an intense second half.
Despite playing with ten men in the second period, Manchester United managed to regain the lead with a Bruno Fernandes penalty.
Bruno Fernandes did score an impressive penalty to restore the lead, however, luck was not on their side as Copenhagen equalized in the 83rd minute with Lukas Lerager’s goal, and Roony Bardghji secured the victory in the 87th minute, resulting in a 4-3 defeat.
Even though Rasmus Hojlund’s goals couldn’t secure a victory in Copenhagen, they did earn him two impressive records at his new club.
At the age of 20 and 277 days, Hojlund became the youngest Manchester United player to score a brace on the road in the Champions League.
Additionally, he became the first Red Devils player to score five goals in his first four Champions League appearances, surpassing the previous record held by Dimitar Berbatov.
While Hojlund’s success in the Champions League is commendable, he has struggled to find the back of the net in the Premier League.
In his last eight games in the English top-flight, the £72 million summer signing has failed to score or provide an assist for Manchester United.
Nevertheless, his ability to score in European competitions is a positive sign for manager Erik ten Hag.
Unfortunately, the records set by Hojlund are meager consolation for ten Hag, as Manchester United have experienced a string of defeats, including five losses at Old Trafford.
Following the match, Hojlund honestly assessed his team’s performance and called on his teammates to improve in future games when they find themselves in similar situations.
“Disappointed because we turned it around after the red card,” he told United legend Peter Schmeichel after the defeat.
“We need to do better. They can’t come back in a game like this.”
It’s worth noting that Erik ten Hag’s team has suffered nine defeats in 17 games this season, leaving a sense of sympathy for their missed opportunity.
Erik Ten Hag after the game spoke to the media: “Referees are working against MU.”
“The red card for Rashford was too harsh. Even the referee wasn’t sure about his decision.”
“In that play, Rashford was just shielding the ball; the referee had to personally review it. I believe slow-motion or freeze frames only made the situation look worse.”
“MU shouldn’t have conceded two goals in the second half. The first goal by Copenhagen had a player blocking Onana’s view.”
“In reality, MU has faced many decisions against them recently, but that’s football. The season is long, and perhaps, at some point, we’ll benefit.
Manchester United now find themselves in a challenging position as they strive to maintain their slim chances of qualifying from the group stage.
To keep their hopes alive, they will need to achieve significant victories against Bayern Munich at home and Galatasaray in Istanbul.
Currently, United sits at the bottom of Group A with three points. They are trailing behind Bayern Munich, who have amassed 12 points, as well as Copenhagen and Galatasaray, both on four points.
However, Copenhagen holds the advantage in the head-to-head record, placing them ahead of United in the standings.
