The 20-day wait to build on that memorable Boxing Day moment would have felt interminable for the Dane, who missed the trip to Nottingham Forest with illness and then had to contend with criticism from pundits after missing several chances at Wigan a week ago.
"Put the ball in the back of the net and stop messing around", Roy Keane told Hojlund at the DW Stadium. He did just that after three minutes at Old Trafford on Sunday, shifting the ball out of his feet and then smashing home an unstoppable finish. Ball, meet net.
It was the kind of moment Hojlund needed after the delay in building on his first domestic goal. It felt like that brilliant volley against Villa was when his United career had lift-off, but his badly timed bout of illness before New Year could have robbed him of that momentum. This goal proved it was still there.
It was a stunning finish but there was another moment in this match that showed the package he can bring to United as a striker.
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