(Football news) Manchester United, Champions League push gained momentum with a 2-1 victory at Aston Villa, while the Hatters’ most recent Premier League match ended in an unexpected 3-1 home loss to Sheffield United.
Luton had not dropped a home game by more than one goal in the 2023–24 season, only losing by a tight margin to Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, and Chelsea while stealing a point from Liverpool. That was before they welcomed cellar-dwelling Sheffield United to their headquarters.
A Blades side reeling from their 5-0 slaughter at the hands of Aston Villa would seemingly prove easy pickings for the in-form Hatters, but to supporters’ surprise, Luton’s six-game unbeaten streak in all competitions resulted in a comprehensive loss to their fellow promotion teams.
Cameron Archer, James McAtee and Vinicius Souza all breached the net of Thomas Kaminski – the latter went from zero to hero after his handball gave Carlton Morris the chance to cut the deficit in half from the penalty spot – as Rob Edwards’s side suffered their first home defeat by at least two goals this term.
Survival remains in the Hatters’ hands, though, as Edward’s men occupy 17th place in the standings with a one-point advantage over 18th-placed Everton – who have played a game more – and Morris’s consolation last weekend stretched Luton’s scoring streak in the top flight to an eye-catching 11 matches.
Only Tottenham Hotspur – on a record-breaking 36-game scoring run in the division – have found the net in more consecutive Premier League matches than Edwards’s troops, although there will be no awards for guessing which team last kept Luton at bay in the top flight.
Three months on from an unconvincing 1-0 success over Luton Town at Old Trafford, Man United have swapped profligacy for proficiency in front of goal, marching to their fourth successive win across Premier League and FA Cup fixtures at Aston Villa’s headquarters last weekend.
Making the net bulge for the fifth game on the trot, Rasmus Hojlund prolonged his purple patch in front of goal with a first-half opener before Douglas Luiz restored parity for the hosts, but the Brazilian’s shimmy celebration was premature, as substitute Scott McTominay came up with another crucial contribution in the closing stages.
New Year, new opportunities has certainly rung true for Erik ten Hag’s rejuvenated Red Devils, who remain rank outsiders for the Champions League in sixth place but are now just five points behind Aston Villa, while also cutting the gap to Tottenham Hotspur down to six points on account of winning each of their last top-three fixtures.
Manchester United celebration has extended beyond their recent on-field exploits, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s 25% acquisition has now been formally approved by the Premier League and FA. Ten Hag’s troops have scored at least two goals in each of Manchester United’s six games since the start of the year.
To keep the positive vibes inside the Old Trafford gates going, Man United has to win five straight away from home. They are currently on a 12-game winning streak over Luton, which includes a 3-0 EFL Cup victory at Kenilworth Road in front of an empty stadium in 2020–21.
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