Ruben Amorim spoke the truth about Rasmus Hojlund at Manchester United

Rasmus Hojlund has gone seven games without a goal and has one goal in 28 for Man United in his second season.

Even Ruben Amorim has admitted Rasmus Hojlund is getting worse.

"We talk about this a lot of times, a striker needs to score goals," Amorim stressed at Carrington on Friday. "We try to help him, he’s trying really hard and sometimes he wants some things really bad and he’s worse."

Alan Shearer, a would-be Manchester United No.9 in the Nineties, described Hojlund as "damaged". Damaged goods, perhaps. Two years after investing £72million in Hojlund to make him their long-term No.9, United will be moving for a new No.9 in the summer.

Hojlund has played one game more than last season and has half as many goals. Chido Obi was instructed to warm up as soon as the second half started against Wolves. The only surprise was that he had to wait 25 minutes to get on.

When Hojlund's number was up, he acknowledged the crowd and headed off urgently. His removal elicited sarcastic cheers earlier this season but United matchgoers know from last season that harmony did no harm in the run-in.

So United continue to embark on borderline laps of honour, even in defeat, at Old Trafford. Thousands stay but thousands have also long since left.

Three months ago, Amorim summoned Joshua Zirkzee after Hojlund lost an aerial duel against Southampton. Hojlund was wrapped in a tracksuit top on the bench after only 53 minutes.

Most ignominiously, Hojlund was one of five United players branded "not good enough" or "overpaid" by Sir Jim Ratcliffe last month. Hojlund is probably both.

It is not his fault United overestimated him, or settled on a potential striker rather than a proven commodity. A senior figure at United hoped Hojlund would "turn into Wayne". That's Rooney, not John Wayne.

Hojlund is not as quick off the draw as The Duke. He had to cross or shoot after leaving Emmanuel Agbadou in his wake last week and did neither. Hojlund has had a startling 24 shots in 28 Premier League games this season.

Hojlund: not getting better

Amorim is having to manage Hojlund's confidence more than his workload or form. Hojlund should start at Bournemouth on Sunday not just to maintain his match rhythm but to keep his chin up.

A full debut for Obi is foreseeable in the run-in but Brentford away on May 4, sandwiched between the two semi-final legs against Athletic Bilbao, is the date to circle in the calendar. Starting Obi against Bournemouth could crush Hojlund's confidence.

The 22-year-old is sensitive about teammates hesitating whether to pass to him, never mind a 17-year-old and fellow Dane starting ahead of him. Amorim also said last week that removing Hojlund from the team would do no good as he then cannot score.

Hojlund failed to score again against Wolves

Hojlund has got one goal in 28 games and is United's only senior striker. Amorim has not seriously entertained a strikerless starting XI since the ill-fated experiment in the defeat to Crystal Palace in February, but last season ended with Hojlund dropped as United warmed up for the FA Cup final with Bruno Fernandes as a false nine.

For now, Hojlund has to continue leading the line. If Bournemouth goes the way of Wolves, then Amorim should take him off after an hour, thank him for another committed performance and remind Hojlund to prepare for United's biggest game of the season. As he will be starting in that.

Amorim exudes a warmth that suggests his man management is tactful and empathetic. He often responds to drab questions with good answers in press conferences, so his rapport with the United players should be positive.

Hojlund needs an arm around the shoulder more than anyone else in the dressing room. Yes, his coach admitted he is getting "worse" but there was a "but".

"But I show him and all the team, he’s so much better in connections. In one-against-one, he created one situation against Wolverhampton that he’s improving in the small things and he needs to focus on that.

"The goal will appear. So we just try to explain how to improve."

Otherwise Hojlund will get even worse