Manchester United are trying recreate what Jose Mourinho saw - but one player is not good enough

Rasmus Hojlund had a gentle time away with Denmark, playing 71 minutes across their Nations League games.

He was the matchwinner against Brentford and there was a five-day gap between Manchester United’s win over Brentford and the draw with Fenerbahce. There was no logical rationale for Hojlund's rotation-related bench role in Istanbul.

Yes, United have a tight turnaround ahead of a bigger game at West Ham on Sunday. Hojlund is 21 and an elite footballer has to be capable of starting twice a week. Eight teammates did in Istanbul.

Especially as his replacement was Joshua Zirkzee. Zirkzee has one goal in 12 games now and that was on his debut. The purported goalscorer does not look like scoring a goal.

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There appear to be two reasons why United bought Zirkzee: his release clause and nationality. They have a fit frontman to ease the burden on Hojlund in that Zirkzee is fit and available. Yet Zirkzee prefers to take a back seat.

United’s approach is markedly different with Zirkzee up front. Jose Mourinho’s “only doubt” was how Fenerbahce would manage United’s starting striker.

“I think he (Erik ten Hag) tried. I think I know what he tried," Mourinho said. "My only doubt was Zirkzee or Hojlund, the difference of these two players. I know both very well because both played in Italy on my time.

"I think what they tried with Zirkzee was to see if I was going to press Zirkzee when Zirkzee drops in between the lines. If I don't go, they have one extra player in there. If I go, they try and create space for (Alejandro) Garnacho and (Marcus) Rashford to attack diagonals. So we had to choose. Then when he comes with Hojlund, he tries to attack the spaces more. So I think strategically, he (Ten Hag) was good.”

Zirkzee and Hojlund essentially play in the same positions yet head in opposite directions. Zirkzee drops off and Hojlund attacks spaces with or without the ball.

Whatever United’s game model is, it is compromised by two different styles depending on who the number nine is. And it is obvious why Hojlund got the ‘9’ and Zirkzee the ‘11’.

Zirkzee has already played for five different clubs in five different countries. He is 23, an age where few players are dubbed a youngster. What you see is probably what you are going to get for the next five years.

Mourinho’s breakdown of Hojlund and Zirkzee’s differences evoked memories of when he analysed Liverpool’s attacking triumvirate of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino. Firmino, signed during Brendan Rodgers’s final summer at Liverpool, was literally central to Liverpool’s transformation under Jurgen Klopp whilst tallying a modest 111 goals in eight years.

“He’s very important to Salah and to Mane because he drops back in between the lines to allow Salah and Mane to score as many goals," Mourinho said in September 2019. “If they play wide and he is a target man, then from wide positions you don’t score as many goals.

“They do it because they’re inside, between the centre back and the full back. Firmino drops back and if he attracts a centre back, it gives more space to the others. If he doesn’t, he’s free in between the lines to get the ball into play.

“He’s fantastic and I didn’t know the words, I love it now you call it a workhorse, I understand the meaning of it. He works so hard for the team.

“Salah and Mane, they don’t chase the full-backs all the way, they stay in positions where they can be killing people on the counter-attacks and Firmino compacts with the midfield.

“[Divock] Origi, he can replace him and he can still score goals like he did last year in important games. But the style of play, the model of play, without Firmino they are in trouble.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recalled earlier this year what a nuisance Firmino was to play against. Firmino averaged 13.8 goals per season in England. A goalscorer does not have to be great for the team to be on the cusp of greatness.

Garnacho and Rashford are not as potent as Salah and Mane. Garnacho could be and Rashford can be, but only consistently potent wingers would justify Zirkzee’s presence. Ten Hag would doubtless highlight Zirkzee’s assist for Christian Eriksen. That lay-off did not require the accuracy of Rashford’s cross for Garnacho or the innovation of Bruno Fernandes’s flick for Hojlund at the weekend.

More memorable was Garnacho’s reaction to Zirkzee’s under hit and misdirected pass in the first half. United were 1-0 up and countering. The pass had to be played ahead of Garnacho and at pace for him to run onto for a one-v-one with the full back. Instead, it was behind him and he had to check his run. After Garnacho released the ball, he had a hissy fit over Zirkzee decelerating the attack.

The most accomplished United’s front three have performed this season was against Brentford with three fast forwards. Zirkzee is not quick and that is a red flag for a Premier League striker at one of the upper echelon clubs.

Mention Zirkzee to a United matchgoer and they tend to look to the heavens. They are wondering why, of all the number nines around, they bought one billed as a nine-and-a-half by his national team coach. You can see why Zirkzee excelled as Bologna qualified for the Champions League. Serie A is a gentle breeze compared with the Premier League whirlwind.

Zirkzee's tidy approach play at Southampton and Crystal Palace were glimpses of the potential but United have got the finished article. Comparisons with Dimitar Berbatov are tenuous when his United career was enriched by four hat-tricks and two Premier League titles. He also had Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Javier Hernandez to dovetail with.