Rasmus Hojlund missed two excellent chances to score his first Premier League goal
VICTOR LINDELOF became the latest man in Red to prove that defence is, indeed, the best form of attack.
Erik ten Hag will be thanking his lucky stars for the fact, too… because his shot-shy Manchester United strikers aren’t exactly riding to the rescue.
Victor Lindelof scored the only goal of the game at Old TraffordCredit: Getty
The Swede netted 14 minutes into the second halfCredit: PA
There was collective relief around the stadium when Manchester United finally broke the deadlockCredit: Rex
The victory moves Man Utd up to sixth in the Premier League tableCredit: Getty
Stats from the Premier League clash between Man Utd and Luton
Man Utd spent much of the game in Luton’s half
Once again it was one of the backline boys who came up trumps as United huffed and puffed before finally edging past the Hatters.
This time it was centre back Lindelof, drilling into the roof of the net after Marcus Rashford’s cross pinballed back to him on 58 minutes.
And in doing so the Swede became the FOURTH United defender to hit the winner this season, on the back of Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot at various times.
Contrast that with the fact Rashford’s effort in a 3-1 loss at Arsenal is the only time a Reds striker has been on target and you see why it has been the season from hell.
When you hear such stats, forget that this – on paper – had Luton as lambs to the slaughter. Whipping boys who had lost on their last 18 visits, dating back to the 19th century.
If only points were won on paper, then, eh? Because when it comes to winning them on the pitch, United have been pretty bloody awful all season.
The Theatre of Dreams? The Comedy Store would have been a more appropriate name for this place, for huge chunks of the campaign.
Spells of dominance, pockets of possession. But overall, very rarely an end product and very rarely a great deal of entertainment. It was the same story on Saturday again, too.
Rasmus Hojlund was denied from close range in the early stagesCredit: Getty
Or at least for the best part of an hour it certainly was, until Lindelof showed his forwards how to do it.
That’s how long it took United to find a way through a Luton defence that was stubborn and well organised, yet rarely needed to be brilliant to keep their goal intact.
True, Ten Hag will point to the massive possession percentage in his side’s favour, and likewise the huge number of shots.
They certainly had plenty of them against a Luton side now still to keep a clean sheet after a dozen Prem games. Until Lindelof pounced, that looked distinctly possible at Old Trafford.
Chances came, chances went from the first couple of minutes… and some of those chances were gilt-edged indeed.
Two of them fell to Rasmus Hojlund, the £72million Dane growing ever more desperate to open his Premier League account, for all he is finding little problem on that score in Europe.
The first came when Rashford – himself in even greater need of a goal – drilled a cross over from the right.
Admittedly it arrived at an awkward height, yet surely only needed deflecting in from barely two yards out.
Hojlund managed the first bit well enough with an improvised use of his left thigh, only for Thomas Kaminski to somehow block his shot from close enough to smell his breath.
A fine reaction stop admittedly by the Luton keeper. Yet really, he should have been left without a prayer.
Just like when Hojlund rose, unattended, to meet a Bruno Fernandes free kick – and flicked his header wide of the far post.
Hojlund also headed wide in the second periodCredit: Getty
Hojlund is still waiting for his first Premier League goal
He wasn’t the only one guilty of glaring misses, mind. Not by a long chalk. One of them, ironically, came after the United striker teed up a colleague magnificently, too.
What Hojlund may have lacked in finishing prowess, he made up for in vision when he picked out an unmarked Alejandro Garnacho with a superb low angled ball.
Garnacho was staring down Kaminski, yet despite slipping to the keeper’s right, never looked in control, scuffed a shot from under his heel and Issa Kabore finished the tidy up job.
Rashford, too, had his moments. Notably when last year’s 30-goal hot shot also found himself with a clear sight of goal, yet only thundered a shot against the Luton keeper.
Yet for all that, until Lindelof scored, the only time keeper to make a genuine save – Kaminski’s good fortune aside – was Andre Onana.
What a stop it was, too, the United stopper flying to his left to push out Carlton Morris’ header when Marvelous Nakamba picked him out as the Hatters broke superbly.
Had that gone in, ten minutes before the break, maybe the outcome would have been different, It might have been a little more exciting, at least.
Not exactly a thrill-a-minute for Sir Alex Ferguson, back at Old Trafford for the first time since the passing of Lady Cath.
Fergie was accompanied by close pal Sam Allardyce, who the cameras picked out in mid-yawn at one stage.
To be honest, there were probably plenty of others… it was that kind of afternoon once again.
But at least United got all three points this time.
