Brothers in arms as spirit courses through United
THEY perched on an advertising hoarding in front of the Stretford End, brothers in arms smiling from ear to ear. Alejandro Garnacho flanked on either side by Rasmus Hojlund and Kobbie Mainoo.
On the day that Old Trafford paid tribute to those who perished at Munich in a tragedy that ripped the heart out of the Busby Babes 66 years ago tomorrow, the image could hardly have been more significant for this football club. There is a spirit of youth coursing through the veins of United once again.
Garnacho, 19, had just put Erik ten Hag’s side 2-0 ahead early in the second half against West Ham with the first of his two goals here yesterday. Hojlund celebrated his 21st birthday by firing in the opener, becoming the youngest United player to score in four Premier League games in a row. And Mainoo continues to perform way beyond his 18 years — he was given a standing ovation when he came off in the 64th minute after starting in three wins in a week.
Garnacho described the celebration as ‘an inspiration’, and it provided a photo opportunity that quickly grabbed the attention of Ten Hag. ‘The picture covered a lot, the three youngsters celebrating together,’ said the United boss. ‘It’s not about one player, it’s about a team. That’s what I have seen today. It looked like a team: 11 defending, 11 attacking.
‘I liked the celebration. It is showing we do it together.’
There was a suggestion that it was a cheeky dig at Mohammed Kudus for his similar celebration after he punished an error by Mainoo and scored when West Ham beat United in December. United left the capital that day without a goal in more than six hours of football, and Hojlund was hooked inside an hour having once again failed to break his Premier League duck five months after a £72millon move from Atalanta.
He was on target against Aston Villa three days later and hasn’t stopped scoring since. Including the FA Cup, this was his fifth in six games. ‘I’ve always believed in myself,’ said Hojlund, who launched into a guitar celebration after scoring. ‘I got my birthday present in the morning and now I got an even bigger one so I’m happy!’
The credit for this win belongs to more than three young men, however. As Ten Hag said, United played as a team. They attacked with verve and defended with tenacity. Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez have been crucial in binding this group together after returning from long-term injuries.
You cannot overestimate their influence or the impact of losing Martinez again if his knee injury is as bad as it looked after he buckled under the weight of Vladimir Coufal in the second half.
Harry Maguire stopped Kudus in his tracks with an excellent tackle in the first half. Diogo
Dalot’s block on Jarrod Bowen was celebrated like a goal.
Emerson Palmieri also failed to beat Andre Onana one-on-one after nicking the ball off Maguire’s toes as the Hammers suffered their first league defeat of 2024.
David Moyes suggested they played even better than in their win over United six weeks ago, and this may have turned out differently had referee Andy Madley taken action against Casemiro for ‘cupping’ Edson Alvarez from behind with both arms at an early corner. ‘That’s rugby,’ said Moyes.
Nayef Aguerd struggled here, while Kalvin Phillips’ difficult start to his loan from Manchester City continues. Aguerd was sent the wrong way by Hojlund in the 23rd minute after Casemiro won the ball off James Ward-Prowse.
The young Dane looked like he was going to shoot with his left foot but switched the ball on to his right and whipped it into the opposite corner.
Garnacho made Emerson pay for his miss moments after halftime when he scored United’s second in the 49th minute. His shot took a big deflection off the hapless Aguerd on its way past Lukasz Fabianski, who had replaced a groggy Alphonse Areola at the interval. Cue that celebration on the ad hoardings.
Phillips had his pocket picked when Bournemouth scored on his debut in midweek, but this was more of a mugging as Scott McTominay and Hojlund took the ball off him in the 84th minute. McTominay surged upfield and fed Garnacho to drill home the third.
‘You can see the belief is growing,’ said Ten Hag. You certainly can. MAN UTD (4-2-3-1): Onana 6; Dalot 7, Maguire 6, MARTINEZ 9 (Varane 71min, 6), Shaw 6.5 (Lindelof 88); Casemiro 7, Mainoo 7 (McTominay 64, 6.5); Garnacho 8, Fernandes 7, Rashford 6.5; Hojlund 7 (Antony 88). Scorers: Hojlund 23, Garnacho 49, 84. Booked: None. Manager: Erik ten Hag 7. WEST HAM (3-4-2-1): Areola 6 (Fabianski 46, 5); Coufal 7 (Phillips 72, 5), Zouma 6, Aguerd 5; Johnson 7, Soucek 5 (Cornet 72, 5.5), Alvarez 5, Emerson 6; Kudus 7, Ward-Prowse 6; Bowen 6. Booked: Soucek. Manager: David Moyes 5. Referee: Andrew Madley 7. Attendance: 73,612.