Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund is being let down by his teammates

It's almost Christmas and Rasmus Hojlund still hasn't scored a goal in the Premier League for Manchester United. United signed Hojlund from Atalanta in a deal worth £72million in the summer and nobody predicted he would reach 2024 without scoring in the league, despite that fee being a long-term investment.

Hojlund has five goals in Europe but it hasn't clicked domestically. The longer a first league goal is elusive, the bigger talking point it becomes and the pressure on his young shoulders is already too much.

Hojlund, who scored just nine league goals for Atalanta in the season before he was signed, shouldn't have been the only striker brought in and a more experienced forward should have arrived with him.

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United needed a proven goalscorer and they signed Hojlund instead. The move was a risk and the club backed Erik ten Hag to polish him into a diamond but his development was always bound to take time.

Although there's no doubt Hojlund has all the tools to eventually succeed in the Premier League, he is currently struggling and it was hard not to feel sorry for him as he trudged off the pitch against West Ham.

Hojlund was replaced by Marcus Rashford just before the hour mark at the London Stadium and Ten Hag confirmed he'd been unwell during the week when asked about the substitution at his press conference.

"I think he's a very strong character and he can deal with the stress," Ten Hag said. "I took him off as he was ill during the week, so a little bit lack of power, so in that sense I protected him.

"We have to play two more games this week but we can't feel sorry for ourselves, no one. We have to take responsibility.