RASMUS HOJLUND wants to emulate the greatest goal in Manchester derby history and bring the house down at Old Trafford this Sunday.
Hojlund was just eight when Rooney scored that magical overhead kick against City back in 2011.
3
3
And he has no hesitation in marking that out as the best ever in this famous encounter.
He said: “The bicycle kick from Wayne Rooney, of course! Everybody remembers that, don’t they?”
Now it is on the 20-year-old striker from Denmark to break his Premier League duck for the Red Devils with something similar.
Mind you even a tap in would do. But what would it mean to score in the derby?
Hojlund said:“It would be a big experience, so I am looking forward to it. It is always special to play a rival and if we win the game, we can get closer to the top, so it would be nice.”
So far Hojlund’s three goals for United have come in defeats, scoring once away to Bayern Munich and twice at home to Galatasaray.
With a £72million transfer fee paid to Atalanta for his services a return is expected and much needed from Hojlund with United struggling for goals.
Hojlund said: “I know my worth. I know I have to perform every day because I play for Manchester United. In the end, I am only 20 years old and I am not the finished article yet. I still have a lot to improve and I am getting there slowly.
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
“I reckon I have had a fine start to the season and now we have to keep building and the goals will come in the Premier League.
“I’ve tried my best every time I play, and I still need to find the rhythm. We have been struggling a little bit, but we are getting there now. We have had three wins in a row, so that is very positive.”
He is not the only one struggling for goals right now with Marcus Rashford missing more chances on Tuesday night to add to his single strike for the season after racking up career best figures of 30 in the last campaign.
Hojlund believes there are signs of the two of them building a relationship on the pitch which can only be beneficial to the Red Devils.
He said: “You can see we are trying to find each other. In the Sheffield United game, he nearly got an assist to me, and I think he has already assisted me twice in the Champions League.
“We are definitely trying to find each other on the pitch and I also tried to find him with a deep pass today, so we have a good connection.
“I improve every day and my team-mates are starting to see my patterns in the game as well, so it is getting better and better every day.”
It needed centre-back Harry Maguire to get the win for United on Tuesday night against FC Copenhagen with his 72nd minute header before Andre Onana’s injury time penalty save maintained the three points.
3
It was their first win in Group A after those two opening defeats.
The day was something of a family affair for Hojlund on Tuesday with his 18-year-old younger twin brothers Oscar and Emil also in action.
Emil had played earlier in the day for the under-19 side against United and came out a 1-0 winner.
On to Sunday’s derby and inevitably comparisons will be made with Erling Haaland, 23, given the Norwegian’s incredible impact at Manchester City after costing them an initial down payment of £51million thanks to a buy out clause with Borussia Dortmund.
Read more on the Scottish Sun
But Hojlund said: “I don’t want to be compared to him. He is incredible and probably the best striker in the world right now. We can keep that on the low for now, but I hope I can improve and then we will see what I am capable of.”
If he can get that spectacular derby winner, a comparison with Rooney will do for now.