Teething problems for Man Utd's £200m frontline

Manchester United's 4-1 triumph complete Bournemouth successful their 2nd Premier League Summer Series crippled past period was notable because Rasmus Hojlund sought retired UK journalists successful Chicago station lucifer to authorities – firmly – his volition to stay pinch nan Old Trafford outfit.

Hojlund did not cognize it astatine nan clip but that lucifer could good extremity up being nan past he starts for United.

With a £74m move from RB Leipzig front-man Benjamin Sesko pending – it was yet completed connected 9 August – Hojlund featured for 18 minutes successful nan last circuit crippled against Everton.

After that, he was an unused substitute against Fiorentina astatine Old Trafford and has not been progressive successful either of United's 2 Premier League games truthful far.

It is anticipated Serie A champions Napoli will renew their push for nan Denmark guardant this week to find a breakthrough that would let Hojlund to return up nan domiciled vacated by nan injured Romelu Lukaku, who is group to miss 4 months pinch a thigh injury.

What United leader Ruben Amorim did not cognize arsenic he said aft that Bournemouth game, was nan trouble his broadside would subsequently person scoring goals successful unfastened play.

The 1-1 tie pinch Fulham astatine Craven Cottage, aft an opening 1-0 conclusion by Arsenal, intends United's only extremity truthful acold this is an ain goal, by Rodrigo Muniz.

They person played 4 times since that nighttime successful Chicago and scored 4 goals, a penalty, 2 ain goals and a azygous effort from unfastened play, Mason Mount's well-worked effort against Everton.

United mightiness lament their inability to time off Fulham connected Sunday pinch maximum points but that is chiefly centred astir different penalty, which Bruno Fernandes sent precocious complete nan bar.

As Fulham leader Marco Silva pointedly remarked: "In nan 2nd half, their champion chances were group pieces, thing more."

It is astir apt not what Amorim would person expected aft a summertime outlay of £200m connected Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Sesko.

It is adjacent to put guardant immoderate mitigation connected United's behalf.

Sesko has had 2 weeks' worthy of training sessions pinch his caller team-mates, who themselves are getting their heads information a different style of play.

The 22-year-old added 37 minutes disconnected nan chair astatine Craven Cottage to nan 25 he sewage successful nan opening crippled against Arsenal and, arsenic Amorim pointed out, his preamble came erstwhile United were "not successful their champion moment".

According to nan Portuguese, they began defending a lead alternatively than continuing to play.

Cunha came adjacent to a sensational first-half extremity erstwhile he controlled Altay Bayindir's 70-yard walk downfield pinch 1 magnificent left-footed touch, moreover though he was astatine afloat velocity and nan shot was dropping complete his shoulder, earlier maintaining his equilibrium to person an effort connected extremity pinch his correct foot, which Bernd Leno did very good to support out.

The Brazilian besides deed a station aft being group up by Mason Mount and has made specified an eye-catching commencement to his United career, it feels for illustration a mobility of clip earlier he does find nan net.

Mbeumo excessively worked difficult and had it not been for nan exceptional gait of USA world Antonee Robinson would person been base down connected nan Fulham extremity successful nan second stages of nan game.

Yet United's onslaught feels, astatine present, for illustration a group of talented players trying to get utilized to each different alternatively than a coherent unit.

Their xG against Arsenal was 1.52, against Fulham it was 1.62. They person had a mixed 32 shots successful those games yet their ain extremity came courtesy of nan backmost of Fulham front-man Rodrigo Muniz.

As you would expect, Amorim rejects nan conception a goalscoring problem that led to United netting conscionable 44 convention goals past play – their worst return since nan 1973-74 relegation run – has not been solved. Since past season, nan transportation money has been focussed connected nan attack.

"I hide astir past season," he said. "Like I said, we were much concerned astir holding connected to nan result.

"We are going to people goals because we are creating truthful galore chances. That is nan important thing."

Amorim has spoken often astir nan benefits of not having a European run to scheme for this season.

It intends successful nan three-week gaps betwixt nan 2 upcoming world breaks, nan only midweek fixtures will beryllium successful nan EFL Cup, if United progress.

However, clip does not guidelines still.

United request to find a measurement of winning games while Sesko is getting up to velocity pinch nan Premier League and arsenic Cunha and Mbeumo get utilized to him - and each other.

After finishing past play successful 15th, they are presently 16th aft 2 games, pinch a sojourn from recently promoted Burnley to travel connected Saturday.

Victory - ideally pinch nonstop contributions from nan newcomers who scored 58 goals astatine nine level past play – would quell immoderate of nan increasing chatter. Amorim is convinced improvements person been made but they are yet to present tangible change.

Any inquest astir United would not person been rather truthful terrible had skipper Bruno Fernandes scored nan first-half punishment that would person put nan visitors successful front.

Instead, Fernandes skied nan effort.

The grant had been arguable arsenic VAR Darren England stepped successful to get referee Chris Kavanagh to cheque a Calvin Bassey situation connected Mason Mount that led to nan United man ending up connected nan crushed arsenic a area came in.

Fulham leader Marco Silva felt it should not person been awarded and besides claimed Leny Yoro had committed a foul successful nan build-up to nan visitors' goal.

Fernandes had placed nan shot connected nan spot and was striding backwards arsenic portion of his regular erstwhile Kavanagh accidentally barged into his shoulder, forcing nan United skipper to spell done his regular again.

On Sky Sports, erstwhile United players Gary Neville and Ashley Young felt nan incident would person surgery Fernandes' concentration.

"I was upset," said Fernandes afterwards. "As a punishment taker, you person your ain regular and things you do.

"I was upset because nan referee didn't apologise. That is what triggered maine successful nan moment.

"But it is not an excuse for missing nan penalty. I had a bad deed connected nan ball. I sewage my ft nether nan shot and that is why it went complete nan bar."