Hojlund celebrates ending his goal drought
Hojlund celebrates ending his goal drought
Andre Onana had a fitness test for an eye issue. The Manchester United goalkeeper could have played with one eye closed against Leicester City.
And so Sunday's football feast ended with the headline billing: 19th versus 15th. After Sheffield, Old Firm and London derbies, and a cup final where the winners ended a 70-year domestic trophy drought, the football-following nation was served up another televised fixture.
This may be the only newspaper to clear the back page for United's win at Leicester. United have risen to 13th in the Premier League table after Tottenham's predictable defeat to Fulham at lunchtime. There was no rendition of "United, United, 13th in the league" from their phenomenal following at the King Power Stadium.
Leicester were such obliging opponents that both of United's forwards ended long goal droughts. Alejandro Garnacho's previous Premier League goal was against Leicester on what was Ruud van Nistelrooy's penultimate day as a United employee.
Ruben Amorim had prepared to make a triple substitution at 1-0. The trio emerged at 2-0. Garnacho's contest-killer was the cue for several Leicester fans to vacate their seats. They missed a glorious goal from Bruno Fernandes. The officials rubbed it in for those who stayed with eight added minutes. There were sarcastic cheers when Harry Winks' pot-shot was fielded by Onana.
Van Nistelrooy glanced at the heavens as early as the 41st minute. He has jumped the gun, accepting impressionable Leicester's offer so soon after his commendable caretaker stint at United that involved two wins against his current employers. Van Nistelrooy has been involved in all four of United's wins against Leicester this season.
Leicester are so listless that Harry Amass was finally granted a debut on the 17th occasion he was named on the bench. It was also the left back's 18th birthday.
This was a confidence-building night for United. One that will make Amorim rue that their next fixture is not for another 16 days, owed to the perplexing decision to resume the domestic season with the FA Cup quarter-finals. They have responded impressively to their defence of the cup ending.
Chido Obi was the last to be introduced from the bench. Mason Mount stayed out longer than any teammate to fine-tune his passing and underwent a half-time warm-up yet was unused. He will have to wait for his return until after the March internationals.
There was a pre-match light show to the soundtrack of Kasabian (who else?). The compere excitedly billed a "Sunday night under the lights". There is little illuminating about Leicester.
The broadcasters homed in on United technical director Jason Wilcox, owner of the "best eyes in football", according to Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Wilcox may have an eye for a player after Ayden Heaven's latest performance.
Heaven drew applause from Victor Lindelof for earning a free kick. The changing of the guard has already taken place there yet Lindelof, still Jamie Vardy's patsy, will be required again after Hayden was carried off early in the second half.
The teenager was involved in an innocuous tangle with Patson Daka that was serious enough for medical personnel on both sides to treat him. United's outgoing head of medicine Gary O'Driscoll spoke briefly to Amorim with Heaven already down the tunnel.
Rasmus Hojlund went into this without a goal in 21 games. With Southampton not on United's calendar in April or May, he had the good fortune of coming up against the league's second-worst team and second-worst defence.
Boubakary Soumare hit thin air and Wout Faes underestimated Hojlund. He dared him to shoot with his weaker right foot. Hojlund could not have hit the ball more clinically past compatriot Mads Hermansen.
Dropping Hojlund has jolted him. His near-complete striker's performance against Real Sociedad was only missing a goal. Three days later, he got a first goal in 22 games.
Some of the United staff members broke press box etiquette and celebrated more wildly than when Amad won the FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool a year ago. Hojlund's eighth goal of the season amplified an already buoyant away end that applauded him when he was removed in the 85th minute, a contrasting reaction to his withdrawals against Fulham and Everton.
"He'll bring the glory days again, we'll back him from the Stretford End, he'll turn things around, Ruben Amorim" has well and truly taken off. Optimism is so rife again at United that their 3,287 sang about going to Bilbao for the Europa League final. There have been a few editions of that chant since the first about Glasgow, a destination they did not get to in 2002.
Garnacho was initially not as fortunate as Hojlund. He was correctly denied by the linesman so belatedly it was nearly Monday. United fans responded by belting out Garnacho’s name and he got his goal midway through the second half.
The United fans aired Wayne Rooney's name in the early knockings before reminding Jamie Vardy that his "wife is a grass". Vardy almost instantly had the chance to provide the perfect retort with a prod that was repelled by Onana.
United had to have a contingency plan if Onana had not recovered from an eye problem he developed over the weekend. Dermot Mee, a 22-year-old whose only career appearances were on loan at Altrincham two-and-a-half years ago, was denied an improbable debut. Vardy's early sighter confirmed Onana's sight was sound.
He could actually have played blindfolded.