A winner from Victor Lindelof settled the scores for United against the Premier League newcomers at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon. His goal was enough to move Erik ten Hag&aposs side up to sixth place in the table.
However, there is still plenty of work for United to do when their star names return from various locations over the next few days. Here&aposs our round-up from the national media after the Luton game;
Simon Stone from BBC Sport wrote: “United secured a much-needed win over Luton at Old Trafford to ease the pressure on manager Ten Hag. A rare goal from Sweden captain Lindelof – his first since December 2020 – proved enough to reward the hosts&apos dominance.
“It ought to have been more with Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho all guilty of wasting excellent opportunities. But a second successive clean sheet – for the first time this campaign – helped to earn the points to please Ten Hag.
“That is four Premier League wins out of five games for United, though, even if their cup form has not been good, at home and domestically. They will head into a potentially significant international break on a positive note given it could bring confirmation of an addition to the United ownership in Sir Jim Ratcliffe.”
Jamie Jackson from The Guardian wrote: “Ten Hag can breathe his latest sigh of relief as United head into the international break in good cheer. For this Lindelof should be thanked after a match-winner that ended a three-year wait since his last goal in club colours and lifts United up to 21 points, three behind fourth-placed Liverpool, who have played a game fewer.
“The goal came from a corner on the left. Bruno Fernandes took it and the move broke up before the ball was then worked by Mason Mount to Rashford on the opposite flank. He drilled a cross in and there was the Sweden captain Lindelof to blaze beyond Thomas Kaminski.
“It came on 59 minutes and changed the mood from flat to joyful for the home congregation, who had been given scant cause for hope up to then. That brought about United&aposs fifth 1-0 victory in all competitions this campaign and it was deserved.”
Joe Bernstein from Mail Online wrote: “Sir Alex Ferguson&aposs matchday companion Sam Allardyce couldn&apost stifle a huge yawn as the Premier League&aposs biggest club struggled to break down the smallest. In the end, the unlikely source of Lindelof earned Ten Hag a badly-needed three points with what was his first goal in almost three years, but it wasn&apost pretty and it wasn&apost convincing.
“The roar that greeted his breakthrough was more out of relief than ecstasy. Ditto the final whistle.
“Luton hadn&apost taken a point at Old Trafford since 1897, losing all 18 visits since then, but they wouldn&apost have come closer than Saturday afternoon despite the mismatch in budgets.”
Samuel Luckhurst from Manchester Evening News wrote: “Goals are so scarce at United that their defence has done as much attacking as the attackers. Lindelof is their fourth defender to walk off the pitch the match-winner this season. It would not be so alarming if it were not so predictable.
