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6 months ago
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Rasmus Hojlund has admitted to feeling 'cursed' during his long wait for a first Premier League goal at Manchester United.
Signed from Atalanta for £72million last summer, the Danish strike felt the pressure to perform at Old Trafford right from the start.
But despite goals in the Champions League, it took Hojlund 15 league games before he completed a turnaround from two-down to beat Aston Villa 3-2 on Boxing Day.
The 21-year-old has 16 goals in 42 outings across all competitions during his debut campaign for United, with the FA Cup final against Manchester City to come on Saturday.
'You feel an incredible amount of pressure when you're at Manchester United,' he told Tipsbladet in his native Denmark.
Rasmus Hojlund celebrates scoring his first Premier League goal against Aston Villa
The Dane has revealed how life has been transformed for him and girlfriend Laura Sondergaard
'It took some time for me to get going in the Premier League, but I think I've caught up quite well. I feel like I've found my rhythm.
'It was a frustrating time leading up to my first goal in the Premier League because I felt there was a lot of focus on it.
'But, of course, I understand that it's not impressive not to score a single goal in your first 14 Premier League matches, but I felt that bad luck was on my side in the league games. Fortunately, it got better.
'When I scored against Aston Villa, I felt like the curse had lifted a bit. It was a good day because I scored my first goal, and we beat a really good team.
'Personally, it's been a fine year for me, and I've tried a lot of things. I've played in the Premier League and the Champions League, and that's something I've always dreamed of.'
Hojlund, who arrived at Old Trafford with the burden of such an expensive transfer fee and needing to manage a back problem, went on a hot streak after his Villa breakthrough.
He scored seven goals in six consecutive games in the Premier League and FA Cup in January and February.
Hojlund rounded off the league season by scoring against Newcastle and Brighton, with his performances a rare positive in a trying campaign for Erik ten Hag.
The chances didn't drop for Hojlund in Premier League action after he arrived for £72million
But Hojlund has found his scoring touch now and has 16 goals for the season in 42 outings
Off the field, it didn't take long for the young striker to appreciate the fierce scrutiny that comes with being a Manchester United player.
'I remember one of the first days when I was walking around the city with my girlfriend, and there were paparazzi photographers on the street,' he said.
'I thought,"wow, do people really care to see pictures of me just walking around?"
'There are eyes on you all the time, on and off the pitch, because the club is so huge. It takes some time to get used to it.
'I've always wanted to get here, and it's not that it isn't great, but there is definitely also a downside.
Hojlund's other half, Laura Sondergaard, seen in an Instagram selfie
Hojlund admitted his shock that photographers wanted to following him and Laura around
'You don't have the same freedom in your vocabulary and generally in everyday life. You can't always say what's on your mind, because it can be taken out of context.
'I do miss that part - being able to be at peace and act like an idiot if that's what you want.
'I do miss being able to mind my own business without thinking about whether someone is listening and keeping up with where Rasmus Hojlund is now.
'But I've enjoyed it and am already looking forward to next season.'
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