The Glazers, owners of Manchester United, have received a strong message to dismiss Erik ten Hag if he continues to favor Anthony Martial over summer acquisition Rasmus Hojlund in the upcoming Premier League match against the in-form Brighton, following the conclusion of the international break.
United made a significant investment of £72 million to secure Hojlund from Atalanta in August, impressed by the 20-year-old’s performances in Serie A last season. However, Hojlund’s debut for the Red Devils was delayed due to a back injury he sustained upon arriving in England.
In the recent 3-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal, Martial was given the start before being substituted for Hojlund with 23 minutes remaining. Former United defender Paul Parker strongly advocates for Hojlund to be the preferred choice over Martial moving forward.
Parker expressed, “If Hojlund doesn’t start against Brighton, then it’s reasonable for all fans to call for Erik ten Hag’s dismissal, and it would be hard to argue against it. It wouldn’t make any sense for him to be on the bench.”
Parker continued, “Martial shouldn’t even be on the bench. There must be a youth player who is more deserving of a spot on the bench, and Hojlund should be the first-choice striker. Manchester United fans are tired of seeing a player with a poor attitude, who constantly sulks and complains. It’s a relief that Man Utd finally has an attacker who plays with enthusiasm.”
Regarding Hojlund’s performance against Arsenal, Parker stated, “I actually disagree with the notion that you can’t already assess Rasmus Hojlund based on the minutes he played against Arsenal. You can certainly make an evaluation because he made a significant impact when he was brought in.”
“It was the best thing that could have happened to him, replacing Martial because he knew he couldn’t perform worse. When he entered the pitch, he utilized his physicality and pressured Gabriel, nearly sending him tumbling out of Emirates. Martial has never demonstrated that level of assertiveness; he typically stays down on the ground and complains.”
“Possessing tremendous speed, Hojlund made forward runs, which Martial has rarely done. Martial is akin to a greyhound that never overtakes the hare, and that’s how Martial operates.”
Hojlund will be under scrutiny to deliver a strong performance when he earns his first start for United. The Red Devils have endured a lackluster start to the season, currently occupying 11th place in the Premier League table with just six points from their first four matches.
