Casemiro explains how Rasmus Hojlund can 'define an era' at Man Utd

Casemiro has backed striker Rasmus Hojlund to succeed at Manchester United after a mixed start to his career at Old Trafford.

Signed back in July from Atalanta, the Denmark international netted five times in the Red Devils' ill-fated Champions League campaign and finally struck for the first time in the Premier League in the dramatic 3-2 Boxing Day victory over Aston Villa.

20-year-old Hojlund made an endearing start at Man Utd with a spirited showing on his debut in the 3-1 defeat to Arsenal back in September and, speaking to club media around the time, Casemiro urged patience but added he believes the young striker could enjoy great success with Erik ten Hag's side.

He said: «At the end of the day, he's just a kid, so we shouldn't be putting a lot of pressure on him. A lot of people think that he should be coming in and scoring 30-odd goals right away.

»He's still young and this is his first season in the Premier League.

«Regarding the footage you mentioned, I was really happy with his attitude. The thing is, it's really difficult when you come on in such a demanding game, as games against Arsenal are.

»When he entered the fray he contributed a lot, changing our dynamic, so I tried to express to him just how I was feeling.

«He's definitely playing better in every game and he's working really hard. Rasmus is a dedicated lad and he's keen to kick on.

»He'll be a great player for this club and, with the ambitions he has, he could define an era at Manchester United."

Hojlund missed the most recent defeat to Nottingham Forest due to illness but is expected to be fit for Monday night's FA Cup third-round tie at Wigan Athletic. Ten Hag's side reached last season's final, where they were defeated by rivals Manchester City.

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