It conjures up images of players getting into the six-yard box and scoring the scruffy goals so championed by many a coach and pundit.

There have been signs that Hojlund can earn a place in this bracket – you only need to look at some of his recent efforts as evidence – and it is a surefire way of boosting any marksman's figures to get in where it hurts and feed off the rebounds, ricochets and balls bouncing around the area.

The Denmark attacker, fit enough to make his comeback in the 4-3 win over Liverpool, will be looking to add to his international tally, currently standing at seven, when his country takes on Switzerland this weekend and the Faroe Islands on Tuesday.

In discussion with Andy Cole, back at Old Trafford to promote one of our partners, WOW Hydrate, it was clear that the Treble winner accepted he could definitely be defined as a poacher, during his wonderful career.

Particularly in his earlier days before joining the Reds, he was very much a striker of that nature at Newcastle United, enjoying a fruitful partnership with ex-Red Peter Beardsley. Initially, after joining Alex Ferguson's men for a British record fee, he was still a centre-forward of that ilk but evolved his game further under the Scot. 

Another member of the 1999 vintage, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, also had the predatory instincts that fitted this mould.

The Norwegian made an artform out of getting the finishing touch and clinically finding the net from most situations, always anticipating the situation to profit from any parries by the keeper or rebounds off the woodwork.

Ruud van Nistelrooy simply has to be part of any argument when it comes to being an elite poacher. The much-revered Dutchman lived for hitting the back of the net and his ruthless, single-minded attitude is legendary.

Never really caring how he scored, just as long as he did, the brilliant centre-forward made it his business to always be in the right place at the right time.

And, as we pondered others who might fit the criteria in the Premier League era (Brian McClair reverting to midfield and having his most productive season in 1987/88 just counted against him), we came up with Javier Hernandez.

The Mexican marksman thrived on getting into the six-yard area, his first goal for the club bounced off his face in the Community Shield against Chelsea, and he was delighted to score those untidy goals and tap-ins. When you think poacher, it does describe Chicharito's chief asset.

So what was Cole's opinion, somebody so well versed in the subject?

"I would like to believe so," he replied, when asked if he considered himself a poacher. "I'd like to believe I extended my goal repertoire as well, I think even more so when I came to Manchester United. When I was at Newcastle, yeah, but when I came to Manchester United, I was known for all kinds of goals in the end.

"I always used to say about scruffy goals, if you put one in the top bin, you only get one goal. I prefer to get scruffy ones than top-bin ones. They all get added to the account. For me, a goal is a goal. With the modern-day centre-forward, where there are not many number nines who want to run in there and get tap-ins. If you look at the games, they want to get the ones where they bend them in the top bins, things like that.

"Those things happen once every five or six games. As a centre-forward, keep running into the right places and you'll get goals."

When it came down to making his vote, Coley was obviously too modest to elect himself, and he did agree it is probably too early to judge Hojlund in this regard. Hence, his choice was probably, just about, van Nistelrooy, even if he recognised each of the strikers' merits.

"I think the one against Luton was great improvisation," our 121-goal striker said of current star Rasmus. "He got himself into a position with the way he adjusted his body and chested it. You've got to improvise and that's confidence. Maybe if he didn't have confidence, he wouldn't look to do that, he'd take it down. He's in a rich vein of form and it's a great positive to be in that form.

"Chicharito, for sure, I'd describe him as one [of the poachers]. Who else have we got? Ruud? One hundred per cent. One hundred per cent. One of the best. I'm not going to stand here and try to say he wasn't one of the best poachers about, definitely.

"Yes, Ole. I always say he was a student of the game. I've never known an individual to make such a big impact coming off the bench or being involved in a game, or whatever. He had the uncanny knack of getting in great positions and putting the ball in the back of the net.

"It's very early for Rasmus," Cole continued. "He's starting out on his Manchester United career. The names you mention, Ole, Ruud, are up there. Ruud was, like I said, one of the best. I had the opportunity to play with him and then he was leaving United to go on to play for Real Madrid and teams like that. He always had it in him, an individual in the box who really came alive in the box.

"I'm not going to put myself in that conversation, due to the fact that I'm not self-centred like that, but I had the opportunity to play with players like Ruud and Ole. Yorkie [Dwight Yorke] and players like that. All top players who all had the opportunity to play for Manchester United, and score goals for Manchester United. However, you look at it, to play for United, and score goals there, is not easy. 

"People might make out it's easy to play for Manchester United but it's not. Everyone wants to beat you, we had no weekends off. When we were at the peak of our powers, there were no weekends off because everyone wanted to beat us. So to score a goal was a great measure of where you were when you played for Manchester United."