- Manchester United defeated Luton Town 2-1 thanks to two goals from Rasmus Hojlund.
- Hojlund scored twice in the opening seven minutes at Kenilworth Road to become the youngest player to score in six straight Premier League games.
Manchester United defeated Luton Town 2-1 thanks to two goals from Rasmus Hojlund.
Hojlund scored twice in the opening seven minutes at Kenilworth Road to become the youngest player to score in six straight Premier League games.
Hojlund’s brace should have given United total control, but Carlton Morris’s swift counterattack gave Luton an amazing fightback.
In a nail-biting finish, Erik ten Hag’s team had been under siege for periods and had missed many opportunities to finish off 17th-placed Luton.
Manchester United off to a quick start
Rasmus Hojlund scored in the first minute of the game. Photo/ Eurosport
Within the opening minute of play at Kenilworth Road, Hojlund gave the home team the lead. The Danish international turned goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski around after snatching a horrendous backpass ball from Luton defender Amari’i Bell.
In the very first minute at Kenilworth Road, Hojlund gave Luton the lead. The Danish international received a horrendous back pass from Amari’i Bell, the defender for Luton, and then he around goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski to find the back of the net.
In the fifth minute, Marcus Rashford had a chance to extend Man United‘s lead when the ball was sent in his path outside the area, but Kaminski stopped his hard shot.
Nevertheless, in the seventh minute, Alejandro Garnacho’s strike—his second of the game and eighth in his previous eight appearances—was superbly chested into the bottom corner of the net by Hojlund, giving the Red Devils a second goal.
Man United was on a high and in the tenth minute, Rashford attempted a shot but missed the mark. In the fourteenth minute, Garnacho again tried his luck against Kamkinski, following some great work by Kobbie Mainoo.
Carton Morris’s header gave the host team hope. Photo/ The Evening Standard
But in the fourteenth minute, Luton equalized against the flow of play when Morris scored a close-range header after Tahith Chong’s deflected shot landed on the center-forward.
After a shaky start, Luton was more than equal to their opponents, and Erik Ten Hag’s team was about to run out of chances until Morris headed over the Man United crossbar in the 24th minute.
In the 31st minute, Cauley Woodrow had an opportunity to tie the score due to a mistake by Harry Maguire, but his shot was deflected wide.
Morris then almost missed the mark with a strong shot in the 37th minute, and Casemiro was lucky to avoid receiving a second yellow card for a last-ditch push on Ross Barkley in midfield.
In the last moments of the first half, Alfie Doughty had another great opportunity, but his low effort missed the mark. Luke Shaw was then substituted at left-back in favor of Victor Lindelof when he was forced off the field again due to injury.
Jonny Evans and Scott McTominay were added to Man United’s lineup at the half in place of Casemiro and Maguire, who had both been booked in the opening half.
Early in the second half, Kaminski did well to put pressure on Diogo Dalot’s feet. Woodrow had an open start to the second half of the match, but Man United goalkeeper Andre Onana made an important save to keep him out.
After applying a lot of pressure, Luton’s keeper pulled off a fantastic save in the 57th minute to deny Rashford’s rasping attempt. This gave the visitors a rare opportunity to counterattack.
Just before the hour, Barkley missed another chance, and then Albert Sambi Lokonga denied Fernandes, the Portugal international having rounded Kaminski, who subsequently stopped Garnacho.
In the 67th minute, Man United had another chance to round one through Garnacho, who went one-on-one with the goalie; however, the Argentine was pushed too wide and was unable to complete the move.
After that, in the 70th minute, Kaminski did a great job stopping a free kick from Fernandes. Then, at a trying moment for the home team, Garnacho saw one deflect wide.
After Varane had stopped Gabriel Osho of Luton from scoring, Onana was able to collect the ball within the area in the 77th minute. Kaminski then stopped Hojlund in another one-on-one.
In the closing moments, Barkley’s header nearly leveled the score for Luton, but it struck the top of the crossbar as the Red Devils cruised to yet another victory.
Man United will play Fulham at home on Saturday, while Luton will play Liverpool on Wednesday night at Anfield.
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