Hojlund brace sees Man Utd revival continue despite battling Luton display

The Hatters gave the visitors a fright but couldn't find an equaliser.

Manchester United's Rasmus Hojlund celebrates scoring their side's second goal. Pic: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire

Luton 1 Manchester United 2 

Harry Styles was in the Kenilworth Road stands as Manchester United continued their unbeaten start to the new year. The Red Devils had been travelling in only one direction as 2023 came to a close - the wrong one - but six wins and a draw have lifted a cloud of pressure off manager Erik Ten Hag.

Rasmus Hojlund scored twice in the first seven minutes to continue a similar upturn in personal fortunes. The Dane had to wait until after Christmas to record his first Premier League goal but has now scored in each of his last six league outings. Indeed, at 21 he became the youngest to achieve such a feat.

Luton recovered from going 2-0 down so early and pulled one back through Carlton Morris; in truth United only had it easy in those opening few minutes.

But they are now five points away from the top four and three behind fifth-placed Tottenham, who lost at on Saturday. Luton remain out of the bottom three but that won't be the case if Everton avoid defeat against Crystal Palace on Monday night.

Fortune favoured United three times in the space of a handful of minutes before and after kick-off.

First striker Elijah Adebayo, Luton's main goal threat, pulled up injured in the warm-up and had to drop out.

Then, with just 37 seconds on the clock, the Hatters gifted Hojlund an opening goal through Amari'i Bell's error.

And the Dane doubled that advantage in the seventh minute by deflecting in a shot from Ajejandro Garnacho that was going wide.

Morris pulled one back in the 14th minute and Luton pummelled United until half-time but Styles, a United fan, saw his favourites survive a Ross Barkley header clipping the bar near the end to go away happy.

Luton (3-4-2-1): Kaminski 6; Mengi 6, Osho 6, Bell 5; Ogbene 6, Lokonga 7, Barkley 7, Doughty 6 (Berry 82, 3); Morris 7, Chong 7 (Clark 68, 4); Woodrow 5 (Townsend 68, 4).

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Onana 6; Dalot 7, Varane 7, Maguire 5 (Evans 46, 7), Shaw 5 (Lindelof 45, 6); Mainoo 6, Casemiro 5 (McTominay 46, 6); Garnacho 7, Fernandes 6, Rashford 7; Højlund 7 (Amrabat 86, 3).

Referee: David Coote 6