ten Hag: 'It’s really bad for the team because he definitely brings us a lot'
HOPES ALIVE: Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho (centre) celebrates with Rasmus Hojlund (left) and Kobbie Mainoo after scoring their side's second goal of the game during the Premier League match at Old Trafford, Manchester.
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 sight of Rasmus Hojliund in full flow that will have given their supporters greatest delight.
This being the current United team, there was a setback, of course, with World Cup winning defender Lisandro Martinez turning in a brilliant performance on his fourth game back from injury before picking up a worrying knee problem.
“First of all, it’s a personal disaster for him,” said ten Hag. “Really bad. Also it’s really bad for the team because he definitely brings us a lot. He’s very sad, very disappointed and we all feel for him. But let’s wait for the diagnosis.”
But, at the other end of the field, after a prior run of ten goals in ten league and cup games, United capped off a week that has seen them score 11 times in wins over Newport, Wolves and a Hammers side managed by former boss David Moyes.
Hojlund has scored in all three, in fact he has netted four in four and five times in his last six, having apparently loosed the shackles once and for all of being weighed down by the £72 million transfer fee paid to Atalanta last summer.
His first 14 league games for United saw the striker fail to record a goal or assist. Now, Hojlund has four goals and two assists in his last four Premier League outings - totals that suggest he may yet emerge as the scoring force ten Hag predicted when he brought him to Old Trafford.
"It was very good. It is always special to play on your birthday but today of course with the win,” said Hojlund.
“It has always been there, I have always believed in myself, it has just been about getting the rhythm going. You get one goal, then two and get a bit of momentum and start linking up with the players.
“I spoke with my team-mates and manager because we need to make each other better, that is what it is about. I want to be involved as much as possible.
“I also worked a lot on myself, I looked at my game and what I could improve. I think I have developed a lot since I've been here.”
On his 21st birthday, Hojliund struck the opener on 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 stuning 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.
The sight of Hojlund, Garnacho and impressive Kobbie Mainoo celebrating together by sitting on an advertising hoarding after that goal summed up the potential ten Hag has at his disposal.
“You see they enjoy to play football, you see they enjoy to give opponents problems,” said ten Hag. “They want to do it together and that picture covered a lot, the three youngsters celebrating together. Its not about one player, it’s about a team.”
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.
: 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.
: 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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