Luton vs Manchester United LIVE: Premier League result and final score after Rasmus Hojlund double
Luton 1-2 Manchester United: Hojlund’s double made it four wins in a row for the visitors, but Erik ten Hag’s side had to hang on to earn three points at Kenilworth Road
Rasmus Hojlund’s early double earned Manchester United their fourth win Premier League in a row but a resilient Luton Town made it an awkward afternoon for Erik ten Hag’s team at Kenilworth Road.
With Harry Styles watching on, Hojlund continued his fine form with two goals inside the first seven minutes, including a composed finish after just 35 seconds to give United the lead.
But Luton responded when Carlton Morris committed to a brave header to pull one back, and United were unable to kill off the hosts in the second half, with Alejandro Garnacho wasting the best of the opportunities.
It meant United had to hang on to see out the win, with Ross Barkley hitting the bar in stoppage time, but the victory closes the gap on the Premier League’s top four as Ten Hag’s side managed to build on their resurgent form.
Follow live updates from Luton vs Manchester United in today’s live blog and get all the latest odds and tips on the match here.
Rob Edwards: ‘Our long-term aim is to mix it with those big teams'
Luton fans may be looking over their heads at the relegation zone but manager Rob Edwards is only looking up. A big win against Brighton and an impressive draw against Newcastle showed that the Hatters can trouble the best sides in the league and that is where Edwards wants his side to be sooner rather than later.
“Our long-term aim, as stupid as this may sound, is to try and be mixing it with those big teams,” he said at his pre-match press conference.
“I think we’ve done well in certain areas but we know we’ve got to keep improving and working hard as well to keep the backdoor shut. If we play well then hopefully we can knock them off their rhythm and not allow them to play the game they want.
“If they are allowed to play the game they want, they will be too good for us. We’ve got to make sure we are at it and we compete.”
Ten Hag - United ‘back in the race’ for top four
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag does not think a six-match unbeaten run means their season has turned a corner but he believes they are “back in the race” for the top four.
Having won just twice in nine matches and lost five in December, United have now won five and drawn one of their last six.
Last weekend’s victory at Aston Villa was important as it kept them within six points of fourth-placed Tottenham and with games to come against Luton, Fulham, Everton, Sheffield United and Brentford – notwithstanding the Manchester derby in that sequence – maintaining that sort of form will push them closer to Champions League qualification.
“First of all I think it is too quick to say we turned a corner. We are not there yet. We are still not in a position,” said Ten Hag.
“We are back in the race but we are not in the position we want to be because this club definitely wants to be a minimum of top four so we have to catch up. But I think we are now in a good direction.”
Read more of the Dutchman’s thoughts below:
Erik ten Hag believes Manchester United are heading ‘in a good direction’
The Red Devils have won five and drawn one of their last six games.
Manchester United set new timeline to bring in director of football
Off the pitch, it’s been another busy week at Old Trafford, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS looking to continue their overhaul of the senior management team by luring Dan Ashworth from Newcastle.
Manchester United are willing to wait for a year for Ashworth to start as their director of football and will not pay Newcastle £10m to ensure he can begin straight away.
United are preparing an official approach for Ashworth, Newcastle’s sporting director, and are also interested in appointing Jason Wilcox – currently Southampton’s director of football – to assist him.
But while Newcastle could put Ashworth on gardening leave or demand a huge sum to release him straight away, United will not be held to ransom.
Read more details from Richard Jolly below:
Manchester United set new timeline to bring in director of football
Dan Ashworth at Newcastle is Man Utd’s preferred target but they are prepared to wait in order to seal the deal
Man United team news
Erik ten Hag, meanwhile, names an unchanged lineup from the side that beat Aston Villa last Sunday. That means Shaw has been passed fit after coming off at half-time last week, while matchwinner McTominay remains on the bench with Mainoo and Casemiro preferred in central midfield.
Man Utd XI: Onana, Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Shaw, Mainoo, Casemiro, Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford, Hojlund
Subs: Bayindir, Evans, Lindelof, Amad, Amrabat, Eriksen, Forson, McTominay, Antony.
Luton team news
Just the two changes for Luton as former United players Chong and Mengi come into the starting XI.
Burke and Clark make way, with Ogbene potentially pushing further forward to play alongside Morris and Adebayo in the front three.
Luton XI: Kaminski; Bell, Osho, Mengi; Chong, Barkley, Lokonga, Doughty; Ogbene, Morris; Adebayo.
Subs: Krul, Berry, Woodrow, Kabore, Burke, Mpanzu, Clark, Townsend, Nelson.
Team news incoming
We should be expecting team news any moment now - will there be any surprises in store?
Last time out for Luton
For Luton, meanwhile, last week saw Rob Edwards’ team come out on the losing side of a relegation six-pointer against Sheffield United. T
The Hatters are still out of the relegation zone but were undone by the Blades, in part due to a lacklustre first half in which Cameron Archer and James McAtee – from the penalty spot – scored to open a two-goal gap.
They rallied after the break, halving the deficit with a penalty of their own from Carlton Morris.
Yet in pushing for an equaliser they were left exposed on the break, and on just such an attack Vinicius Souza rattled one past Thomas Kaminski to seal a first win on the road for Chris Wilder’s side and shine a glimmer of hope over their survival bid.
Sheffield United close gap at the bottom with victory at in-form Luton
Luton Town 1-3 Sheffield United: Goals from Cameron Archer, James McAtee and Vinicius Souza earned the Blades a big win
Last time out for Manchester United
United come into this fixture buoyed off the back of their dramatic 2-1 win against Aston Villa last Sunday.
From what seemed the wreckage of a wretched season, Erik ten Hag’s team are on a charge towards the Champions League places. Their longest winning run of the campaign brought their best result; a second late winner against Aston Villa in seven weeks meant the gap between them, which could have swelled to 11 points, has instead been sliced to five. Lose and United’s hopes of overhauling Unai Emery’s team would have been unrealistic at best. Victory gave them the momentum while Villa have three straight home defeats.
Here’s a recap of their victory:
Scott McTominay delivers crucial victory for Manchester United’s maligned heroes
Aston Villa 1-2 Manchester United: Erik ten Hag’s side are surging back towards the Champions League places after McTominay’s latest winner, and they have the likes of Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund to thank
Luton vs Manchester United betting tips
Luton will be striving to get back to winning ways in the Premier League but will be tested by an improving Manchester United at Kenilworth Road on Sunday.
The Hatters suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of relegation rivals Sheffield United last time out, preventing them from opening a four-point cushion to 18th place Everton.
After crushing Brighton 4-0 in their last home outing, Rob Edwards’ men were off the pace against the Blades and paid the price.
United have found a rhythm since the winter break, winning three straight Premier League games to move into contention for a top-four berth following their victory over Aston Villa.
United are odds-on to win at Kenilworth Road with football betting sites and the hosts are at top price of 13/4 to return to form. Here are our predictions using the best Premier League odds.
Luton vs Manchester United predictions: Premier League betting tips, odds and free bets
Manchester United will look to make it four wins on the bounce in the Premier League away to Luton on Sunday
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