SO, HOJLUND, YOU GET A & STICK IT INTO AN EMPTY NET ...OVER AND OVER AGAIN

United legend Berbatov plays mind doctor by revealing training ground drill to help Rasmus break his goalscoring block

DIMITAR BERBATOV has told Rasmus Hojlund to get back to basics if he wants to find his goalscoring touch.

United forward Hojlund, 20, has struggled for form since his £72million summer transfer to Old Trafford from Atalanta, scoring just one Premier League goal in 15 appearances.

But former United striker Berba, who scored 56 goals in 149 appearances for the club, says Hojlund’s problems are all in the mind.

“I know exactly what he was going through when he didn’t score a goal because every striker has a spell without scoring, maybe a short one, maybe a long one,” said Berbatov, also a Betfair ambassador. “I know how difficult it can be in that circle of thinking: ‘Am I ever going to score a goal? Am I good enough? Am I doing enough for my team-mates or for myself?’ He needs to stop thinking like this. That is negative thinking. It’s going to get you nowhere.

“It’s the simple things he needs to concentrate on.

“Go to the training ground and, if you need to, stand in front of the empty goal, ask someone to cross the ball, and tap it in, tap it in, tap it in. Then move further from the goal. Do the same. Further, do the same. Try different positions just to get the habit of knowing the goal. Implement this into training and that is it.”

United are considering a move for a new striker this month. Bayern Munich’s Eric Maxim Choupomoting, who once spent a season at Stoke, and Stuttgart’s Serhou Guirassy have both been linked, after one-time target Timo Werner joined Tottenham on loan.

Berbatov believes the move for reinforcements is only natural but thinks it would be better for Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag to stick with his current options. “What kind of a message does it send Rasmus?” he added. “They signed him to score goals but, if you sign someone else for his position, he’s going to think: ‘Wait a minute, what is happening here?’

“These young players need to be strong in the head and brave enough to push through difficult times. Even if you don’t score, run, fight for your position. The ball will come. But, if

‘Go to the training ground and get someone to cross you the ball and... tap in’

‘If you sign a centreforward, what kind of message does that send to a young player?’