Manchester United’s 4-1 win over Bournemouth in their second Premier League Summer Series game last month was notable because Rasmus Hojlund sought out UK journalists in Chicago post match to state – firmly – his intention to remain with the Old Trafford outfit.
Hojlund did not know it at the time but that match could well end up being the last he starts for United.
With a £74m move from RB Leipzig front-man Benjamin Sesko pending – it was finally completed on 9 August – Hojlund featured for 18 minutes in the final tour game against Everton.
After that, he was an unused substitute against Fiorentina at Old Trafford and has not been involved in either of United’s two Premier League games so far.
It is anticipated Serie A champions Napoli will renew their push for the Denmark forward this week to find a breakthrough that would allow Hojlund to take up the role vacated by the injured Romelu Lukaku, who is set to miss four months with a thigh injury.
What United boss Ruben Amorim did not know as he spoke after that Bournemouth game, was the difficulty his side would subsequently have scoring goals in open play.
The 1-1 draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage, after an opening 1-0 defeat by Arsenal, means United’s only goal so far this is an own goal, by Rodrigo Muniz.
They have played four times since that night in Chicago and scored four goals, a penalty, two own goals and a single effort from open play, Mason Mount’s well-worked effort against Everton.
United might lament their inability to leave Fulham on Sunday with maximum points but that is chiefly centred around another penalty, which Bruno Fernandes sent high over the bar.
As Fulham boss Marco Silva pointedly remarked: “In the second half, their best chances were set pieces, nothing more.”
It is probably not what Amorim would have expected after a summer outlay of £200m on Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Sesko.