Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has publicly defended under-fire striker Rasmus Højlund after the young forward’s frustrating performance in their disappointing 1-0 home defeat to Wolves at Old Trafford. The result dealt another serious blow to the club’s fading European qualification hopes, and it was Højlund’s glaring miss that headlined the post-match conversation.

The 22-year-old Denmark international squandered what was arguably Manchester United’s best chance of the evening when he failed to convert a perfectly placed cross from Alejandro Garnacho midway through the second half. The miss extended his personal Premier League goal drought to nearly 30 hours of football, with his season tally still sitting at just three league goals since his summer arrival from Atalanta.

While frustration among fans continues to grow, manager Amorim refused to single out the young striker for blame. Speaking after the match, the Portuguese tactician stressed that scoring goals is a collective responsibility and not the burden of one individual.

“It’s a team thing,” Amorim stated. “Rasmus is our striker, yes, but we’ve had other players who missed equally good or better chances in recent games. The responsibility to find the net is not his alone. We’re creating opportunities — the next step is for the entire team to capitalize on them.”

The pressure on Højlund has only intensified in recent weeks after the club’s other striking option, Joshua Zirkzee, suffered a season-ending hamstring injury, leaving United thin in attack as the campaign reaches its decisive stage.

However, despite growing calls from some sections of the fanbase for the young forward to be benched, Amorim indicated he will continue backing the Dane, confident that Højlund will work through this tough spell with patience and support from his teammates.

“He needs a goal, no doubt,” Amorim admitted. “But he’s not going to find it sitting on the bench. We’ll manage it during games and give him opportunities because that’s how strikers break these runs. It’s about character, and he has it.”

Transfer rumours have already begun to swirl around Old Trafford, with the club reportedly eyeing several attacking reinforcements in the summer, including high-profile names like Victor Osimhen, Ollie Watkins, and Liam Delap. Yet Amorim emphasized that the club’s goal-scoring problems are systemic and require a collective solution rather than simply replacing one player.

“We play with three forwards and attacking midfielders who all have scoring responsibilities. If we only look at one player, we’re missing the bigger picture,” he explained. “This is about the entire offensive unit contributing consistently. If we don’t score, we don’t win. It’s that simple.”

The loss to Wolves leaves Manchester United’s aspirations for European qualification hanging by a thread, with a string of crucial fixtures remaining. The club’s supporters will be hoping for a turnaround in form — both for the team and for Højlund — as the season edges towards its conclusion.