Erik ten Hag has suggested that Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho’s form was impacted by a number of changes in Manchester United’s team during the first half of the season.
United had been dealing with a number of injuries before the December period, with Lisandro Martinez, Mason Mount, Casemiro, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Christian Eriksen all out at different spells.
Hojlund, a summer signing from Atalanta, failed to score in the Premier League until December 26 when he netted the winner against Aston Villa. Garnacho, meanwhile, scored one and assisted the same amount before the 3-2 win at Old Trafford.
Both players have begun to find form, with Hojlund scoring four and assisting two in his last four league matches. Garnacho has scored four and assisted once in his last five games in England’s top flight.
Ten Hag said: “Players need time especially young players like Rasmus and Alejandro, they need time but also they need a team so those effects were not there in the first half of the season. We had to make a lot of adjustments in our way of playing so it was difficult to serve the offensive part of the team.
“When it happens it can go really quickly for players to progress. From the start I was confident they have the potential to do what they are doing and now it is about keeping going keep moving be hungry.
“I think they enjoy to playing together, adventure, they want to do it together. They want also to pass the ball to each other and that everyone can play to the qualities and score goals.
“It is brilliant they want to do it together and that is the key. The future for Manchester United is quite bright with talent on board, you have to develop it. This club wants to achieve a lot, this club wants to win trophies so very ambitious so they have to step up and bring high levels. Also against the best opposition they have to express the same threat and it is about end product.”
