Dwight Yorke appears to be a difficult man to impress. Because despite a superb 2024 so far, one of Manchester United’s most in-form players is yet to win over a man best remembered at Old Trafford for the role he played in that treble-winning campaign under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Then again, in Yorke’s defence, even a player most Manchester United supporters would call a pretty unqualified success so far cannot come close to matching the remarkable standards the former Trinidadian talisman set during his debut season in the North West.
Yorke scored a stunning 29 goals during the 1998/99 campaign, ending it with three trophies to his name.
Rasmus Hojlund has not even scored half that amount, and is an FA Cup exit away from a trophyless season. And while the £64 million signing from Atalanta has certainly shown glimpses of genuine elite-level quality – particularly with those stunning finishes against Galatasaray, Tottenham and Aston Villa – Hojlund still has much to prove if he is to truly establish himself as a genuine world-class number nine capable of leading Man United into a shiny new era.
Rasmus Hojlund yet to convince Manchester United legend
“Optimistic is probably the correct word at the present moment. I’m very happy he’s managed to get a couple of goals,” Yorke tells talkSPORT (26 March, 3pm).
“I often think, when you go to United and you get off to a bad start, which he did – he really struggled earlier on – you just think it’s just something that’s never going to (work out). He’s playing in a team that’s struggling, so it’s very different circumstances for him to come into with a high price-tag and (being) relatively unknown.
“So there is a lot there to ask for a young man. But a bit of perseverance, he’s showing signs.”
13 goals in all competitions now
Hojlund, after waiting 16 games for his first Premier League goal, then scored in six in a row. In fact, he became the youngest ever player in the competition’s history to achieve such a feat. Hojlund has 13 in all competitions.
And, now back to full fitness after a brief injury absence, it is not out of the question that he could close in on 20 between now and the end of May.
Pick up where he left off before that recent absence, and that will go some way to ‘convincing’ Yorke and co that Hojlund is the man to build Man United’s attack around for years to come.
“I still don’t think he’s convincing enough for me at the moment,” Yorke adds. “But I am happy for the fact he’s got (this many) goals so far.”