Teething problems for Man Utd's £200m frontline

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Hojlund was unaware at that moment, but the match in Chicago might have been the last one he starts for United.

With a £74 million transfer for RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko looming and eventually finalized on August 9, Hojlund played for 18 minutes in the last match of the tour against Everton.

Subsequently, he did not come onto the field against Fiorentina at Old Trafford and has yet to feature in either of United's two Premier League matches this season.

It is expected that Serie A champions Napoli will renew their interest in the Denmark striker this week as they look for a replacement for the injured Romelu Lukaku, who is anticipated to be sidelined for four months due to a thigh injury.

United's head coach Ruben Amorim was unaware during his post-match comments following the Bournemouth game of the challenges his team would face in scoring goals during open play.

The 1-1 draw at Fulham on Sunday, following a 1-0 loss to Arsenal, means United's only goal so far this season came from an own goal by Rodrigo Muniz.

Since that game in Chicago, they have played four matches, netting four times - comprising a penalty, two own goals, and a single strike from open play by Mason Mount against Everton.

While United might regret failing to secure three points at Craven Cottage, the focus is heavily on a missed penalty kick, which Bruno Fernandes blasted over the bar.

As pointed out by Fulham's manager Marco Silva, “In the second half, their best chances were from set pieces, nothing more.”

This is probably not what Amorim anticipated after investing £200 million over the summer on players such as Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Sesko.

It is reasonable to offer some context on behalf of United.

Sesko has had only two weeks of training with his new teammates, who are also adapting to a different style of play.

The 22-year-old came off the bench for 37 minutes at Craven Cottage, adding to the 25 minutes he played against Arsenal, and as Amorim noted, his entrance occurred when United were “not in their best moment.”

According to the Portuguese manager, the team began to defend a lead rather than continue playing aggressively.

Cunha nearly scored a spectacular goal in the first half, brilliantly controlling a long pass from Altay Bayindir with a left-footed touch as the ball dropped over his shoulder, before attempting a right-foot shot that was superbly saved by Bernd Leno.

The Brazilian also struck the post after being assisted by Mount and has made such an impressive start to his time at United, it seems like it’s only a matter of time before he finds the back of the net.

Mbeumo also put in a strong performance, and had it not been for the remarkable speed of USA international Antonee Robinson, he would have been closing in on the Fulham goal in the later stages of the match.

However, United’s attack currently resembles a collection of skilled players still learning to work together, rather than a cohesive unit.

Their expected goals against Arsenal stood at 1.52, while against Fulham it reached 1.62. Throughout these matches, they managed a total of 32 shots; however, their sole goal originated from Fulham's striker Muniz.

As anticipated, Amorim dismisses the idea that a scoring issue has persisted, which resulted in United tallying only 44 league goals last season — their lowest output since the relegation season of 1973-74. Since last season, the funds allocated for transfers have been directed towards bolstering the offense.

"I disregard last season," he remarked. "As I mentioned earlier, our focus has been primarily on securing the result.

"We will score goals because we are generating numerous opportunities. That aspect is crucial."

Amorim has frequently discussed the advantages of not competing in a European tournament this season.

This implies that during the three-week intervals between the upcoming international breaks, the only midweek games will be in the EFL Cup, contingent on United progressing further.

Nonetheless, time continues to move forward.

United must discover a method to secure victories while Sesko acclimates to Premier League play, as well as with Cunha and Mbeumo getting accustomed to him — and to one another.

After finishing the previous season in 15th place, they currently sit 16th following two matches, with a match against freshly promoted Burnley set for Saturday.

A win — ideally featuring significant contributions from the new signings who netted 58 goals at the club level last season — would mitigate some of the increasing concerns.

Amorim believes that advancements have been made, though they have yet to yield concrete results.

"The referee didn’t apologize" - Fernandes' penalty dilemma

Any examination surrounding United would not have been so intense had captain Fernandes converted the first-half penalty that could have put them ahead.

Instead, Fernandes missed the chance.

The decision had sparked controversy as VAR official Darren England intervened, prompting referee Chris Kavanagh to review a challenge by Calvin Bassey on Mount during a corner.

Fulham coach Silva contended that the penalty should not have been given and also alleged that Leny Yoro committed a foul leading up to the visitors’ goal.

Fernandes had positioned the ball and was stepping back as a part of his routine when Kavanagh inadvertently collided with his shoulder, causing the United captain to restart his process.

On Sky Sports, former United players Gary Neville and Ashley Young opined that the incident likely disrupted Fernandes' focus.

"I was frustrated," Fernandes expressed afterward. "As a penalty taker, you adhere to a specific routine and have certain practices.

"I was frustrated because the referee didn’t apologize. That is what affected me in that moment.

"But it isn’t an excuse for missing the penalty. I struck the ball poorly. I got my foot underneath it, causing it to soar over the crossbar."