Rasmus Hojlund has been the talk of the soccer world since the confirmation of his $82 million move to Manchester United. The 20-year-old has been the subject of all sorts of discussions, including comparisons with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland. Given the buzz around the duo, here’s what the numbers have to say about their bubbling rivalry.
From a strictly statistical perspective, it’s essentially a no-contest. Haaland’s record-breaking figures make Hojlund look miserly by comparison. Last season alone, the Norwegian netted 36 league goals, which heavily outweigh the Dane’s nine. Besides this, Haaland also recorded seven PL assists, with Hojlund managing just two in the Serie A. For a more in-depth analysis of their respective outputs, it’s worth taking a look at their xG (expected goals) for the campaign.
Hojlund stats. Is this really impressive? pic.twitter.com/SUJ20JUAa8
— Tips Bible📚 (@tips_bible) July 26, 2023
The 23-year-old goal machine overperformed by grabbing 36 goals despite having a total xG of just 25.53. By comparison, Hojlund’s nine league goals stack up fairly against his xG of 9.47. Of course, a number of factors contribute to chances being converted into goals. Be it shot volume, the quality of the chance, or even their respective teammates. But it remains safe to say, that Haaland is currently miles ahead of his Manchester United counterpart.
Números do Hojlund na Série A pela Atalanta:
• 32 jogos
• 20 como titular
• Média de 57 minutos por jogo
• 9 gols (xG: 9.47)
• 2 assistências (xA: 1.76). pic.twitter.com/DOmlgl632C— Thomas Alencar (@thomasalencr) July 29, 2023
Given all this, it is only natural to question why United paid a premium for the 20-year-old. The answer to this lies in Hojlund’s unpolished, yet sensational capabilities. In fact, his style of play has even attracted comparisons to Haaland.
Rasmus Hojlund vs Erling Haaland : Style of play
Despite their contrasting goal-scoring statistics, the duo actually have quite a bit in common. Aside from sharing a Scandinavian heritage, the pair also have nearly identical heights, with Hojlund being 6’3, while Haaland stands at 6’4. In terms of play style, the duo possesses clever positioning, raw strength, and breakneck acceleration, although there remain key differences.
Both strikers primarily occupy central areas and are emphatic in duels, although Haaland has the edge in aerial contests. Hojlund also possesses a rapid burst of speed, another element he shares with the Manchester City forward.
We might get this striker rivalry in Manchester next season 😤😤 pic.twitter.com/licCGy4o3I
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 29, 2023
In terms of finishing, Haaland is obviously the more clinical of the two, as indicated by his goal tally for the previous season. The Norwegian also tends to attempt more shots than the Dane, whose finishing isn’t quite as lethal just yet. But like the Norwegian, the 20-year-old has an absolute hammer of a left foot.
The former Atlanlanta forward prefers to receive the ball in deeper areas and has a knack for getting involved in the build-up phase. He also fancies a take-on, which becomes evident through his successful take-on rate of 1.37.
In contrast, Haaland usually plays on the defender’s shoulder and occupies space around the box. Hojlund also tends to drift away from the opposition backline and carry the ball further up the pitch. His 1.96 progressive carries p90 points towards the same. Haaland, in comparison, manages 1.10 progressive carries p90.
Rasmus Højlund stats per 90 minutes over the last 365 days#MUFC #Hojlund pic.twitter.com/qiHuCEgfVS
— João (@joaoxcarlos) July 29, 2023
Another stat that sets the two apart has to do with their passing volume. The Norwegian attempts just seven passes per game, while Hojlund attempts 21.35. Simply watching the duo can outline their differences.
For instance, Haaland can go through entire matches while having minimal touches. Hojlund, on the other hand, is more keen to get on the ball, beat his man, and aid ball progression. To surmise, while Hojlund has nearly the same tools as Haaland does, their play styles remain distinct. The 20-year-old’s raw talent makes him an exciting prospect for Erik ten Hag, who can mold the striker into a lethal goal-scorer.