Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has urged the current squad to help Rasmus Hojlund as he aims to break his drought.
The Dane has been trusted to be United's main striker this season but has managed just two goals in the Premier League and seven across all competitions. His last goals for the Reds came in mid-December as he inspired a 2-1 victory over Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League.
MEN Sport reported this week that coaches at United were starting to become frustrated with Hojlund. Recent form from the striker has only strengthened calls for the Reds to sign a centre-forward in the summer transfer window but Rooney told BBC Sport that there are things this current squad can do to help Hojlund.
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"With myself, I had good senior players around me," Rooney said pre-match. "Sometimes I made mistakes and had a bad game but I had good players around me.
"He [Hojlund] is getting no help. I think Manchester United play too slow, the ball speed is too slow and for the centre-forwards or strikers they are just waiting around.
"They look like they are not running but because the ball speed is too slow... They need to get the ball forward quicker and crosses into the box and that will help them (the strikers)."
After another duck in the first half against Fulham, Rooney added: "His movement here is really good and he is slightly past the near post so I think he is slightly unlucky with this one. He has tried and he is making runs in behind but I don’t think Manchester United are getting close enough to help him.
"He is trying to get hold of the ball and use his body. The Fulham defenders have done well against him but he is making runs, he is willing but again here, he is a little isolated out wide.
"He just needs someone here who he can lay the ball off to and then he can get back in the box. Again, he gets hold of the ball but this is sloppy.
"Not just Hojlund but Joshua Zirkzee has given up the ball too many times. There is not enough creativity and they are not holding up the ball for the midfielders and defenders to support them so I think it [the problem] is a bit of both."
