Erling Haaland has backed Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund to keep improving after his recent upturn in form.

Hojlund struggled across his first six months at Old Trafford but began 2024 in sensational form, bagging seven goals in six Premier League games – the sort of run Haaland knows well – before succumbing to injury.

Having seen Hojlund figure out life in the Premier League, Manchester City’s Haaland urged the 21-year-old to maintain his momentum when he returns from injury to keep proving his worth to United.

“His start was a bit hard, but then it became much better,” Haaland reflected. “When we played against him he was really good.

“He’s a good player, he’s young like me, he has to keep on developing and as a striker for Manchester United he has to score goals as well, that’s his job.”

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Hojlund’s form has also caught the eye of United legend Andy Cole, who netted 121 goals in 275 games for the Red Devils between 1995 and 2001.

“A lot was expected of him, when he first came here,” Cole told United’s in-house media. “He was a young man under a lot of pressure, with a big price-tag, in a team that wasn’t creating many chances.

“I think it’s a good thing for him as now he’s got that confidence. Confidence is a massive thing in football. He got off the mark against Villa and the goals have continued since then. For me, personally, I just want to see him continue to do that.

“Yeah, there’s going to be a time when he’s not scoring goals, it’s part and parcel of football but, so long as he keeps doing the right things, he’ll be okay.”