Hojlund can solve one big problem for Man United and Amorim

There will be plenty of ‘only Europa League’ and ‘only Bodo/Glimt’ poo-pooing after this, but every game under a new manager is a learning experience.

And there was plenty to take from Manchester United’s first win under Ruben Amorim on a night that certainly crystallised a few ideas about which players stand to win and lose under the new manager.

What this first home game showed beyond doubt, and we think in a way that exceeds any opposition caveats because Bodo are a decent Europa League team anyway, is that Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United are going to be more fun than Erik Ten Hag’s.

There is already greater urgency and purpose about their football, if not yet quite a full understanding of the requirements and responsibilities of a few new roles.

No points for working out the big winner on the night was Rasmus Hojlund after his two goals and assist, but he does look like perhaps the roundest peg in the roundest hole we’ve seen so far for Amorim’s United.

This is already a team now far more geared towards getting the most out of his pace, both in and out of possession. The first goal inside the first minute is obviously keeper-assisted, but it feels reasonable to ask whether Hojlund would have been tasked with bothering and hassling the keeper into the error that handed Alejandro Garnacho the easiest of goals.

Hojlund’s own first goal was a wonder. Again, intelligent high pressing created the chance, with Noussair Mazraoui – another obvious winner under Amorim – winning the ball back high up the pitch and then having the ability and intelligence to do something useful with it once he had it.

Hojlund still had loads to do, mind, and the confidence required to even attempt the outlandish touch-and-finish he pulled off is encouraging in itself.

That was perhaps the moment that will bring Amorim most happiness from the night. If – and it remains a significant if – Hojlund can prove himself a reliably effective spearhead for this 3-4-2-1 formation then it could save United fortunes that can be invested elsewhere to plug some more conspicuous gaps.

Mazraoui, for his part, is just very obviously an excellent footballer. For all the folly of spending all that money in the summer on a manager who always looked doomed, at least in this case they’ve spent it on a player any manager of any style would be happy to accommodate. There are probably five positions in Amorim’s preferred formation where Mazraoui could do a bang-up job, and we may well see him prove it during a packed month before the transfer window opens.

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In between those two wonderfully Amorim goals, though, came the equally clear warnings. United conceded twice in the space of four frantic, confused minutes and both exposed the limitations that exist within this squad for this shape.

It’s been pointed out time and again that Amorim’s Sporting side relied on non-stop running as well as technical ability from that double-6 pivot. Manuel Ugarte provided it tonight; Bruno Fernandes didn’t.

Too often it allowed a gap to grow between the centre-backs and midfield, gaps Bodo to their credit were able to exploit. Two excellent finishes were nevertheless both assisted by slapdash United defending.

The acres between defence and midfield made it too easy for the equaliser to be teed up and stroked home from around the edge of the box.

And the second goal owed a little to players coming to terms with this new shape and players just coming to terms with playing football again. Lisandro Martinez had bolted upfield – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing when there are three centre-backs. But Tyrell Malacia, gingerly making his way back into the starting XI after his injury horrors, didn’t get the memo to slot in from his post at left wing-back.

United were punished heavily for that bad five minutes, but they were much better after the break.

It would be tempting to put that improvement down to a bravura tactical flourish from Amorim. We’re really not sure it was. It still looked pretty much like a fluid 3-4-3 in the second half; the key difference was that Diogo Dalot (who has played all of the football) replaced Malacia (who has played none of the football) and simply took up far better positions. Maybe that was a managerial directive, but it might just as easily have been a different player taking a slightly different, and better approach to his role.

It still wasn’t perfect by any means. United did have to cling on a little bit at the end having passed up a few chances for a killer fourth goal. And it was only Bodo/Glimt. We’re still not remotely sure Bruno Fernandes is really suited to any of the central roles in this shape, and we’re very sure indeed that Antony is not and never will be a right wing-back.

But there are undoubtedly glimpses of the things that might work. Mason Mount has had a right result for club and country, Ugarte is clearly starting to get the hang of it after taking some time to adapt to his new surroundings. Mazraoui is just really excellent at football. These are all positives, but there’s no doubt that the biggest of the lost on what was, overall, an encouraging night was the performance of Hojlund.

If he can be this striker for United long-term, it solves one problem while making it far easier to address the others that remain.