Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has revealed he is keen to cultivate the “connection” that Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford have already struck up.

Rashford and Hojlund made their first start together since the latter’s £72m move to Man Utd from Atalanta during the summer in their defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion at the weekend.

Man Utd would end up losing the game in thoroughly disappointing fashion, being thumped 3-1 at Old Trafford – their third defeat of the season already – with the pair up top having very few chances to get into the game, such was Brighton’s dominance.

During the game, manager Ten Hag was seen to be shouting at Rashford in order to encourage the forward to strike up more of a partnership with his new teammate.

Hojlund is finding his feet in England / Michael Regan/GettyImages

Speaking to the press on Tuesday, Ten Hag was asked whether or not he was calling on Rashford to find Hojlund with the ball more frequently.

“Yes, absolutely, and how can the two benefit from each other. But they have to know each other and that process just started but at the same time, we need results,” he said.

“So it has to go hand in hand. We learn from every training and we learn from every game and we reflect. Of course, we need that as a coaching staff but also we have seen Rasmus and Rashy together, they are talking, how they can benefit from each other.

“You can see that discussion and that interaction on the pitch is going on and that is a good sign. I am sure they will get that connection, I think that connection is already there, and they will get the routines there.”

The pair will likely once again start alongside one another in midweek when Man Utd kick-off their UEFA Champions League campaign against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.