Manchester United's Hojlund stokes Haaland comparisons with Champions League milestone

Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund made the best of a bad situation as he entered the UEFA Champions League history books thanks to his goal in the Red Devils' 3-2 defeat against Galatasaray.

Hojlund, who joined the Premier League giants from Atalanta in the summer, has had to wait for his opportunities in the first team after recovering from a back injury at the start of his Manchester United career, but the Danish striker looks increasingly like an important player for the Red Devils. 

Against Galatasaray, in Manchester United’s second match of the UEFA Champions League group stage, Hojlund scored the opener for the Red Devils, hoping to see them to their first European victory of the season after they lost their opening game to Bayern Munich. 

Unfortunately, as was the case with the Bayern Munich fixture where Hojlund also scored, Manchester United were unable to pick up even a point against Galatasaray, losing 3-2 on home soil and being reduced to 10 men. 

Despite the heartbreak of losing three points, which now puts Manchester United in serious danger of not qualifying from the group, Hojlund’s goal was a silver lining as it showed that the striker is heading in the right direction at the club. 

Hojlund’s goal against Galatasaray in addition to his goal against Bayern Munich meant that the Danish international became the youngest player to score in his first two UEFA Champions League appearances since Manchester City’s Erling Haaland did so while he was at RB Salzburg. 

Haaland was 19 years and 73 days old when he achieved the milestone, while Hojlund was a little behind at 20 years and 214 days when he reached the mark against Galatasaray. 

Manchester United will be hoping that Hojlund’s impressive European form is a sign of things to come, while also hoping that the team’s general form matches up to that of their striker.