“Manchester United Supporters Disapprove as Rasmus Hojlund is Substituted, Prompting Antony’s Disapproval”
Manchester United fans have unmistakably expressed their discontent by jeering Erik ten Hag’s choice to substitute Rasmus Hojlund in the match against Manchester City.
With United trailing 2-0 to City at Old Trafford and approximately 15 minutes left, Ten Hag opted to replace his primary striker, Hojlund, with the introduction of Alejandro Garnacho, while Marcus Rashford assumed the role of the striker.
However, this decision did not sit well with the local spectators, resulting in resounding boos reverberating throughout the stadium. Cameras later captured Antony, a United forward, shaking his head in disapproval from the bench.
Moments later, United’s misery was compounded when Phil Foden extended City’s lead to 3-0 with a close-range finish. This merely compounded the misery that had enveloped Old Trafford after City’s dominant performance.
Erling Haaland had earlier scored twice in the contest, the first from the penalty spot in the initial 45 minutes. Despite the controversial nature of the penalty decision, the Norwegian displayed no hesitation in netting his first goal at Old Trafford. He then doubled his individual tally when Bernardo Silva’s delivery found the 23-year-old inexplicably unmarked in the box.
This continues United’s discouraging start to the season, with their current position being eighth in the Premier League with 15 points from 10 games. They have suffered five losses in those matches and faced defeat twice in the Champions League.
The mounting pressure on Ten Hag, who took over in the summer of 2022, is evident. His inaugural season yielded better results than anticipated, securing a top-four finish and winning the Carabao Cup, their first piece of silverware since the Europa League in 2017.
However, this campaign has been nothing short of disastrous so far, compounded by the club’s substantial injury list. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, and Luke Shaw have all been sidelined for extended periods, significantly impacting United’s preferred defensive lineup.
Nevertheless, the team has struggled in front of goal, with both Rashford and Hojlund managing only one Premier League goal between them. Garnacho, Antony, and Antony Martial have also been unable to find the net in the league this season.