Rio Ferdinand declares that the Rasmus Hojlund ‘jokes are over’ after the Man United forward continued his red-hot form with a brace against Luton

• Hojlund scored both goals in a 2-1 United win, including an exquisite chest finish
• The 21-year-old has now netted in each of his last six Premier League fixtures 
• Rasmus Hojlund meant his chest goal. It was an act of GENIUS – Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast 

Rio Ferdinand has declared that the Rasmus Hojlund ‘jokes are over’ as he heaps praise onto the Manchester United striker amid his blistering form in front of goal. 

The 21-year-old’s scored a brace in United’s 2-1 win over Luton at Kenilworth Road on Sunday to take his tally to seven goals in his last six games. 

The Denmark international has scored in every Premier League game since notching his first of the season on Boxing Day against Aston Villa. 

Prior to that long-awaited strike, the £72million-summer signing had come in for criticism – and ridicule – as Erik ten Hag’s side struggled for goals during an inconsistent spell. 

However, with the team stringing together a run of impressive results, Ferdinand believes fans are now seeing the quality his arrival from Atalanta promised, thanks, in large part, to his ‘strength of character’ during a barren spell. 

‘The Hojlund jokes are over… my guy is cooking!’ The former defender wrote on X, formerly Twitter on Monday. 

‘Erik ten Hag spoke really well about him after the game yesterday, saying this is the kid we signed, this is why we signed him, because of the strength of character.’ Ferdinand said on the Vibe with FIVE podcast. 

‘If you haven’t got confidence, your game can go to pot. Add to that getting starved of any chances. So there was so much against him in that sense. 

‘But the chances are now falling to him and he’s not scuffing. He’s not up tight. You can see he’s relaxed. 

‘The ball comes to him, with the chest, what a goal. But that speed of thought, the ability to do it but also there’s a bit of confidence to do that now.’

On Sunday, after opening the scoring on 37 seconds, the Dane demonstrated his goalscoring nous with a brilliant chested finish after a wayward shot from Alejandro Garnacho.

The goal led to debate whether or not he actually meant it, but Mail Sport’s Chris Sutton agreed with Ferdinand and was under no illusion that ‘instinctive’ Hojlund knew what he was doing.

‘The chested goal was genius. Anybody who has played sport to a reasonable level would know that he meant that,’ he said on the It’s All Kicking Off podcast.

‘You have a blueprint in your head and it’s because of hours and hours of training and being in situations, your peripheral vision, you’re just aware and in those moments it happens so fast, but you know what you want to do and try to do and it’s instinct. It’s impudence. That’s what it is.’

During his dry spell, videos of viral Australian singer Sean Millis – who has been compared to Hojlund as a lookalike – were used to troll the United star.

Team-mate Jonny Evans jokingly labelled the United star as ‘Millsy’ in relation to the previous links.