Rasmus Hojlund’s record-breaking double was sufficient to earn Manchester United a tense 2-1 win at Luton – a fourth league victory in a row to take Erik ten Hag’s aspect nearer to the highest 4.
The 21-year-old grew to become the youngest Premier League participant to attain in six straight video games as he put United two up inside seven minutes – clinically ending after 36 seconds following Amari’i Bell’s mistake, earlier than instinctively chesting in Alejandro Garnacho’s shot from a nook.
Carlton Morris rounded off a scintillating opening quarter-hour by pulling one again and Luton ought to have levelled with a number of massive probabilities – as they put United on the ropes, with Casemiro unfortunate to not see purple for lunging on Ross Barkley whereas on a reserving.
United had been extra settled after the break – with Casemiro taken off on the interval having been lucky to not have obtained a second yellow card – and will have put the sport to mattress as Bruno Fernandes and Garnacho each failed to attain regardless of each rounding Luton goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski.
However regardless of some late Luton strain, together with Ross Barkley hitting the bar with the final kick of the sport, United held on to maneuver inside three factors of fifth-placed Tottenham, with a top-five spot probably being sufficient for a Champions League place subsequent season.
Requested about Hojlund’s scintillating type in entrance of purpose, with the striker now on eight targets in his final seven video games in all competitions, Ten Hag instructed Sky Sports activities: “We recruited him as he is a robust character. Though he is 21 he can actually carry out underneath stress. That is what you want as a Manchester United striker.
“He doesn’t get nervous or lose confidence when he’s not scoring. Once you are in a run, you see it, now he’s scoring and he’s in. That’s how he is now. He has a lot of confidence and I’m sure he’ll score more.”
A participant on fireplace – Hojlund’s record-breaking double!
How Man Utd edged it – once more
It took simply 36 seconds for Hojlund to make historical past. Bell’s slack, sq. move alongside the backline was picked up by the Danish ahead. He had the straightforward process of skipping previous Kaminski and slotting residence.
The United onslaught continued, as Luton struggled early doorways. Casemiro was denied with a block from a nook, which was cleared so far as Marcus Rashford whose shot was saved by Kaminski. Garnacho additionally stung the Luton goalkeeper’s palms similarly.
However one other shot from distance ended up bringing United’s second. Garnacho’s fierce effort was chested on by Hojlund in a beautiful improvised end.
Then got here the tried Luton fightback as former United midfielder Tahith Chong noticed a shot deflected into the trail of Morris, who beat Andre Onana to the ball to move residence.
Swiftly, the sport modified because it was Luton on the assault, with United now on the ropes. Morris and Gabriel Osho put free headers over the bar from set-pieces, earlier than Cauley Woodrow noticed a clear-cut likelihood within the field blocked after Harry Maguire cheaply gifted the ball to the spectacular Barkley in his personal half.
United got here underneath extra strain as Casemiro, already booked for a problem on Bell, prevented a second yellow for lunging at Barkley. Luke Shaw additionally picked up a reserving and was compelled off earlier than half-time. In the meantime, Alfie Doughty ought to have introduced Luton stage by firing vast from the sting of the field after chopping inside.
Ten Hag took Casemiro and Maguire off at half-time and United did appear extra managed after the break.
Diogo Dalot was picked out by Onana within the field and Kaminski smothered the trouble. The Luton goalkeeper was equal to fierce strikes from Rashford and Garnacho both aspect of the hour mark.
United had two probabilities to seal it, nevertheless. The primary fell to Bruno Fernandes who rounded Kaminski however was denied by a last-ditch block by the retreating Albert Sambi Lokonga. Garnacho did precisely the identical on the break moments later however dallied as he in the reduction of inside and Luton cleared with the purpose gaping.
Fernandes put one other massive likelihood vast of Kaminski’s far put up as many started to query Luton would make them pay. They practically did within the last minute of stoppage time as Barkley headed on a nook – just for it to crash off the bar and over, with Onana scrambling.
One other instance of a valiant defeat for Luton.
Ten Hag: Bookings for Casemiro are loopy!
Ten Hag revealed after the sport that he took Casemiro and Maguire off at half-time as a result of he felt the sense that the referee would quickly ship them off for his or her subsequent foul.
“I saw the reaction of the referees and I thought the next one [foul] they would go off. I didn’t take the risk. We had good replacements in [Scott] McTominay and [Jonny] Evans. It was the right decision as the performance of those two was very good.”
Later in his press convention, Ten Hag claimed Casemiro is unfairly handled as officers are reserving him when he doesn’t contact opposition gamers. Final week, the Brazilian was bemused for being booked for a foul on Aston Villa’s Matty Money with minimal to no contact on the participant. On Sunday, he was cautioned for a foul on Luton defender Bell.
“Even when he is not touching opponents, he gets booked,” Ten Hag stated. “Typically on the primary second within the recreation as effectively. It was loopy at present.
“The first booking was so unfair. The second? It could have been given. That’s why we took him off. But it’s difficult to play when you are not even touching an opponent and get booked.
“Now he’s again within the crew, he provides a lot to the crew. A lot calmness and organisation. We’re very completely satisfied, as a result of since he’s again, the crew has lifted its ranges.”
Edwards: Man Utd received fortunate with purple | Adebayo damage rocked us
In the meantime, Luton supervisor Rob Edwards felt United “got away with one” relating to the Casemiro incident – however refused responsible the officers for his aspect’s defeat.
“The fact he came off at HT probably tells you that,” the Hatters boss stated. “They [United] are saying first [yellow card] wasn’t [one], but just because the first one wasn’t that doesn’t mean second one isn’t. Maybe they got away with one there.
“We shot ourselves within the foot, so I will not blame the officiating.”
The Luton manager said a warm-up injury to top scorer Elijah Adebayo “rocked and wobbled” his side – which could have led to the 2-0 deficit after seven minutes.
“Shedding your No 9 after which going 1-0 down after 40 seconds shouldn’t be the perfect technique to begin in opposition to Man United,” he said.
“I believe it [Adebayo injury] rocked and wobbled us for slightly bit. When 1-0 turns to 2-0 after six minutes, you are fearing the worst. And also you go – how can we reply to it?
“But I have to give the players a lot of credit for showing an air of calmness, belief, commitment to the game plan and they dragged themselves onto a really good performance.
“We received again within the recreation, pushed and pushed and could not discover a second one. There’s heaps to love in regards to the efficiency, however you possibly can’t give Man Utd a two-goal head begin. We received punished from a few errors and it is laborious to recuperate from that.”
Analysis: Changing of the guard? Mainoo excels at Casemiro’s expense
Sky Sports activities’ Sam Blitz at Kenilworth Street:
Manchester United put out two midfielders at Luton. One was 18 years outdated, the opposite a four-time Champions League winner. One in all them was fortunate to remain on the pitch by half-time, the opposite appeared cool and composed.
Kobbie Mainoo’s knowledgeable show confirmed Casemiro, a team-mate 13 years his senior, the way it’s achieved.
Mainoo was very good as United calmed down a frantic recreation at Luton after half-time and held on for a win. The midfielder received 9 possessions within the defensive and center thirds fn the pitch, greater than any of his United team-mates by a rustic mile. He additionally ran previous an opposition midfielder six occasions out of the seven occasions he tried it.
Casemiro, in the meantime, didn’t run previous any of his counterparts or win a single ball within the United defensive third.
As Jamie Redknapp stated after the sport: “It was too much for Casemiro” however the “real deal” “Mainoo had the “youthfulness and the presence” to cope with it. Sunday’s game at Luton could herald a changing of the guard in the United midfield.
What’s next?
Luton are back in Premier League action on Wednesday as they travel to Liverpool; kick-off 7.30pm.
Man Utd play again on Saturday as they welcome Fulham to Old Trafford in the Premier League; kick-off 3pm.
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