Manchester United 3-0 West Ham: Rasmus Hojlund & Alejandro Garnacho fire hosts back into Premier League top six

Rasmus Hojlund has scored five goals in his past six games in all competitions for Manchester United, as many as he had netted in his opening 22 matches for the clubRasmus Hojlund made it four Premier League goals in as many games and Alejandro Garnacho scored twice as Manchester United recorded their biggest home league win of the season against West Ham.

Hojlund celebrated his 21st birthday in perfect fashion, providing the smart 23rd-minute finish that set the hosts on their way to a victory that moved them back into the top six.

Garnacho’s deflected effort doubled their advantage less than a minute after West Ham full-back Emerson wasted a glorious chance to equalise. The Argentine added another near the end after Scott McTominay seized possession inside the West Ham half.

Relive Man Utd v West Ham and follow all of Sunday’s Premier League actionHow did you rate Manchester United’s performance? Have your say hereWhat did you make of West Ham’s display? Send us your views hereRemarkably, it was the first time Manchester United had won three successive games since October and only the second time they had managed it all season.

The Red Devils have scored 11 goals in three games in the past week, having netted just 10 times in their previous 10 matches.

The victory came at a cost though as combative defender Lisandro Martinez, in only the fourth game of his comeback from foot surgery, seemed to injure his knee in a second-half tussle with Vladimir Coufal and, although he tried to continue, he had to be replaced shortly afterwards.

It was a case of what might have been for a West Ham side who drop to seventh. Emerson failed to take another chance after Garnacho’s goal and Diogo Dalot slid in to make a brilliant block shortly afterwards when Jarrod Bowen ran free onto a long ball that dropped over the head of Harry Maguire.

Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana also made excellent first-half saves to deny Ben Johnson and Mohammed Kudus.

Hojlund on fire for Red DevilsProspective new chief executive Omar Berrada was not at the first home game since his impending appointment was announced but Ineos was represented by Sir Dave Brailsford, whose views are evidently going to be pivotal in determining United’s direction once Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s 25% purchase is confirmed by the Premier League at some point this month.

If boss Erik ten Hag cannot deliver a return to the Champions League, he must at least be able to point to a bright future in order to secure his job. Hojlund could be a key part of that.

For most of this season, questions have been asked of United’s recruitment and why they decided against trying to sign Harry Kane and opted to spend £72m on Denmark striker Hojlund instead.

By Christmas Day, Hojlund was still to score a league goal. Now he has four in four games after breaking his duck against Aston Villa on 26 December. There was a mixture of dexterity and brutality involved in his latest effort.

After Casemiro had snapped into a tackle, Hojlund moved smartly to his right to create room to shoot, then slammed a low shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area. He is now in double figures for the season in all competitions.

At 19, Garnacho is even younger than Hojlund. While it would be asking a lot for the teenager to match the career of Cristiano Ronaldo, there is a similarity with the Portuguese superstar’s formative years in the way Garnacho produces moments of sublime skill, followed by the wrong decision.

However, he benefited from a slice of good fortune when he cut in off the right wing and saw his shot deflected in off Nayef Aguerd. The home fans will hope the celebration shot of Garnacho, Hojlund and 18-year-old Kobbie Mainoo sat together on an advertising board in front of the Stretford End is a sign of the future Ten Hag needs to deliver.

Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo have scored seven goals between them in Manchester United’s past three games in league and cupMainoo had gone off by the time Garnacho scored his second. His replacement McTominay drove forward with purpose to create it as Manchester United went back into the top six for the first time in almost two months, even though they are still eight points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa.

West Ham pay for Emerson missHaving come out on top in their previous two games against Manchester United, West Ham were aiming for a third successive triumph, something they had not previously achieved since the mid-1970s.

They could count themselves unfortunate to be behind at the break, by which time they had attempted 13 shots at the home goal and Onana had somehow managed to keep out a Tomas Soucek effort that deflected off Aguerd and was heading for the corner.

Emerson should have levelled after robbing Maguire in the Manchester United half. Yet, after charging into the penalty area with purpose, he then seemed to get in a muddle as he was trying to position himself to shoot. He had already narrowed his own angle before he stabbed his left foot at the ball, which sailed harmlessly wide, much to Onana’s relief.

Once Dalot had denied Bowen, there was no way back for West Ham, who suffered their first league defeat since the five-goal hammering at Fulham on 10 December.

Manager David Moyes’ additional worry will concern goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, who was caught in the face by Kurt Zouma in a first-half collision. Areola made it through to half-time but was replaced by Lukasz Fabianski at the break.

Munich rememberedManchester United will mark 66 years since the Munich air disaster on 6 February.

As it was the nearest home game to that date, the customary service was held outside Old Trafford two hours before kick-off.

Ten Hag and Moyes laid wreaths before kick-off, with the respective sides coming out to the ‘Flowers of Manchester’ anthem, which pays tribute to the eight players, including England stars Duncan Edwards, Tommy Taylor and Roger Byrne, who were among the 23 passengers who died when the club’s flight back from a European Cup quarter-final in Belgrade crashed on take-off after a refuelling stop.

It is the first anniversary to pass since the death of Sir Bobby Charlton, who was the last surviving United player on that flight.

Erik ten Hag and David Moyes are among 14 men to have held the title of Manchester United manager since the era of Sir Matt Busby and his ‘Busby Babes’

Player of the match

HøjlundRasmus Højlund

with an average of 7.51

Manchester UnitedSquad number11Player nameHøjlund

Squad number17Player nameGarnacho

Squad number37Player nameMainoo

Squad number39Player nameMcTominay

Squad number6Player nameLi Martínez

Squad number23Player nameShaw

Squad number18Player nameCasemiro

Squad number19Player nameVarane

Squad number20Player nameDiogo Dalot

Squad number8Player nameBruno Fernandes

Squad number2Player nameLindelöf

Squad number5Player nameMaguire

Squad number10Player nameRashford

Squad number24Player nameOnana

Squad number21Player nameAntony

West Ham UnitedSquad number14Player nameKudus

Squad number2Player nameJohnson

Squad number20Player nameBowen

Squad number19Player nameÁlvarez

Squad number7Player nameWard-Prowse

Squad number23Player nameAreola

Squad number28Player nameSoucek

Squad number33Player nameEmerson

Squad number5Player nameCoufal

Squad number27Player nameAguerd

Squad number4Player nameZouma

Squad number17Player nameCornet

Squad number1Player nameFabianski

Squad number11Player namePhillips

Line-upsMan UtdFormation 4-2-3-1

24Onana20Dalot5Maguire6Li MartínezSubstituted forVaraneat 71’minutes23ShawSubstituted forLindelöfat 88’minutes37MainooSubstituted forMcTominayat 64’minutes18Casemiro17Garnacho8Bruno Fernandes10Rashford11HøjlundSubstituted forAntonyat 88’minutesSubstitutes1Bayindir2Lindelöf4S Amrabat14Eriksen16Diallo19Varane21Antony39McTominay62ForsonWest HamFormation 4-2-3-1

23AreolaSubstituted forFabianskiat 45’minutes5CoufalSubstituted forPhillipsat 72’minutes4Zouma27Aguerd33Emerson19Álvarez28SoucekBooked at 37minsSubstituted forCornetat 72’minutes2Johnson7Ward-Prowse14Kudus20BowenSubstitutes1Fabianski3Cresswell11Phillips15Mavropanos17Cornet18Ings21Ogbonna45Mubama57ScarlesReferee:Andy Madley

Attendance:73,612

Match StatsLive TextMatch ends, Manchester United 3, West Ham United 0.

Second Half ends, Manchester United 3, West Ham United 0.

Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Harry Maguire.

Attempt blocked. Mohammed Kudus (West Ham United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Edson Álvarez.

Attempt missed. Mohammed Kudus (West Ham United) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Maxwel Cornet.

Attempt missed. Scott McTominay (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Marcus Rashford.

Foul by Ben Johnson (West Ham United).

Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Mohammed Kudus (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Victor Lindelöf (Manchester United).

Substitution, Manchester United. Antony replaces Rasmus Højlund.

Substitution, Manchester United. Victor Lindelöf replaces Luke Shaw.

Attempt missed. Edson Álvarez (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Maxwel Cornet.

Goal! Manchester United 3, West Ham United 0. Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Scott McTominay following a fast break.

Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Kurt Zouma.

Offside, Manchester United. Rasmus Højlund is caught offside.

Attempt missed. Kalvin Phillips (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

Maxwel Cornet (West Ham United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Foul by Diogo Dalot (Manchester United).