Garnacho and Hojlund strike as Man Utd revival continues
Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho celebrates with Rasmus Hojlund and Kobbie Mainoo after scoring their side's second goal. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.
ALEJANDRO Garnacho continued his breakout season with a two-goal performance that kept alive Erik ten Hag’s hopes of leading Manchester United to a finish in the European places.
But it was the continued excellent form of the big-money summer signing Rasmus Hojluind that will most excite United fans as they look for this so-far miserable season to end on a high note.
Hojlund struck the opener after 23 minutes, after Casemiro had made a strong challenge in midfield to dispossess James Ward-Prowse and stop a West Ham counter-attack in its tracks.
The Brazilian played in Hojlund who produced a devastating right-foot finish from the edge of the West Ham area for his fourth goal in as many league games.
It was the first blow in what had been an even contest to the point.
Andre Onana made an early, stunning reflex save to keep out a Tomas Soucek header which took a deflection off Edson Alvarez.
And Alphonse Areola did the same at the other end, flying to turn away a strong effort from Bruno Fernandes that looked destined for the top corner.
But after falling behind, the visitors enjoyed much the better of what remained in the first half, with Ben Johnson’s powerful, 30-yard shot being fumbled to safety by Onana soon after the opening goal.
The keeper also kept out a header from Mohammed Kudus, from a Jarrod Bowen cross, while goalscorer Hojlund might have been lucky not to be penalised after he grappled with Kurt Zouma at a corner.
But the game swung back United’s way, once and for all, early after the restart, with a miss at one end followed by the home side claiming a second goal immediately at the other.
First, a slip by Harry Maguire let in left-back Emerson who bore down on goal unmarked before stumbling and planting a terrible shot high and wide of the goal on 48 minutes.
And, within seconds, United had the three points wrapped up as Bruno errands picked out Garnacho with a clever cross-field pass that allowed the young Argentinian to create space in the area and take aim.
With West Ham keeper Lukasz Fabianski having replaced injured Areola at half-time, his first act was to pick the ball out of his net after Garnacho’s shot took a wicked deflection off Nayef Aguerd.
Rashford and Dalot threatened the Hammers goal within minutes of that second while Emerson, for the second time, wasted a good chance with a shot he steered straight at Onana.
Jarrod Bowen was presented with West Ham’s last chance to stage a fightback as he raced clear on 68 minutes, only to be denied by a stunning recovery tackle by Diogo Dalot.
And, six minutes from time, with the visitors pushing in hope of a goal, United broke through substitute Scott McTominay and punished West Ham one last time. The Scotland international drew in the sparse remaining defence before slipping in the unmarked Garnacho to finish into the bottom corner.
(4-2-3-1): Onana 6; Dalot 6, Maguire 6, Martinez 9 (Varane 71, 6), Shaw 6 (Lindelof 87); Mainoo 6 (McTominay 63, 7), Casemiro 7; Garnacho 8, Fernandes 7, Rashford 6; Hojlund 7 (Antony 87). Substitutes (not used) Bayindir, Amrabat, Eriksen, Diallo, Forson.
(4-2-3-1): Areola 6 (Fabianski 45, 6); Coufal 7 (Phillips 72, 5), Zouma 6, Aguerd 6, Emerson 6; Alvarez 5 Soucek 5 (Cornet 72, 5); Johnson 7, Ward-Prowse 6, Kudus 8; Bowen 6. Substitutes (not used) Cresswell, Mavropanos, Ings, Ogbonna, Mubama, Scarles.
: A Madley 6
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