Rio Ferdinand: Everton pair would instantly improve Manchester United flop Rasmus Hojlund
Rio Ferdinand believes Rasmus Hojlund would be six goals better off this season if Manchester United had one of Jack Harrison or Dwight McNeil from Everton.
Hojlund has yet to get off the mark in 12 Premier League appearances for United since making a £72million move from Atalanta in the summer [Sky Sports, 6 August].
In the view of United great Ferdinand, the Denmark international would benefit from playing alongside a selfless winger in the mould of Everton pair Harrison or McNeil.
“If Man United had [Michael] Olise, Jack Harrison, [Dwight] McNeil at Everton, Jacob Murphy at Newcastle – any one of those four wingers, I reckon [Hojlund] would have five or six goals by now,” Ferdinand said on his FIVE podcast [11 December, 17m 16s].
“Why? Because they cross the ball. All four of those boys, their first thought is to get the ball, head down, either beat the full-back and cross or give me a yard and cross the ball.
“[Hojlund] needs service. Bowen [is another who would help Hojlund]. These guys want to provide. We’ve got wingers who either want to get a shot off, shoot, or beat someone.”
Waste of money
McNeil and Harrison both have four direct goal involvements in the Premier League this season and would undoubtedly be an improvement on Hojlund at United.
As Ferdinand says, both are proper wingers and very much put the team first, but they also know how to find the net themselves.
Harrison has averaged 1.2 key passes per game in the Premier League this season [WhoScored] and McNeil a slightly higher 1.5.
That compares to 1.1 for Antony and Alejandro Garnacho, and one per game for Marcus Rashford, at Manchester United.
Unlike Everton, United wasted a lot of money in the summer on players who are simply not cut out for the Premier League.
Players of Harrison and McNeil’s stature were never going to be on the Red Devils’ radar, but perhaps that is why they are in the position they are.
And on the basis of what we have seen this season, it is fair to say Everton would rather have £1.5m striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin feeding off deliveries from Harrison and McNeil than £72m Hojlund.
