Rasmus Hojlund on Sunday made English Premier League history as the Manchester United striker’s brace ensured his side survived a scare from lowly Luton Town in their 2-1 win.
Hojlund became the youngest player to score in six consecutive Premier League games after netting twice in the first seven minutes at Kenilworth Road.
At 21 years, 14 days, Hojlund surpassed Newcastle United midfielder Joe Willock’s previous record set when he was 21 years, 272 days.
Photo: Reuters
Ruud van Nistelrooy scored in 10 successive United top-flight outings in 2003, before Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy beat his Premier league record with 11 in a row in 2015.
After failing to score in his first 14 Premier League appearances following his August move from Atalanta BC, Hojlund has scored eight times in his past eight games in all competitions.
His brace should have put United in complete control, but Luton fought back impressively as Carlton Morris quickly reduced the deficit.
Erik ten Hag’s side were under siege for spells and wasted several chances to kill off fourth-bottom Luton in a tense finale.
Praising Hojlund’s mentality, Ten Hag said: “We recruited him on his character, I knew it was strong.”
“He can really perform under stress and that is something you need from a Man United striker,” he said. “He doesn’t get nervous or lose confidence. He has a lot of confidence and I’m sure he will score even more.”
“I need to say thanks to my teammates and the coach because they have showed me great confidence and kept believing in me,” Hojlund said. “I knew as well that I could score goals, but of course it was annoying I didn’t score in the Premier League.”
Sixth-placed United’s fourth consecutive league victory moved them within five points of fourth-placed Aston Villa in the race to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League.
For long periods during a difficult season, that target has seemed beyond United, but Hojlund’s prolific form has given them renewed hope.
“We are back in the race and we are building momentum. We need to build pressure. Every game is a final to get closer,” Ten Hag said.
With 37 seconds gone, Hojlund intercepted Amari’i Bell’s dreadful back-pass, rounded goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski and slotted into the empty net.
United’s fastest league goal this season was followed by Hojlund’s second in the seventh minute.
When Alejandro Garnacho smashed a volley toward goal from a United corner, the strike hit Hojlund’s chest and deflected into the net.
Earlier, Brighton & Hove Albion pushed Sheffield United closer to relegation as the Premier League’s bottom club capitulated after Mason Holgate’s dismissal in a 5-0 rout at Bramall Lane.
United defender Holgate was sent off early in the first half for an ugly foul on Kaoru Mitoma.
Brighton made the most of Holgate’s exit as Facundo Buonanotte and Danny Welbeck struck in quick succession.
Jack Robinson’s second-half own-goal was followed by Simon Adingra’s late brace, condemning the shambolic Blades to a sixth defeat in their past nine league games.
Chris Wilder’s team are languishing seven points from safety with 13 games left to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.
United’s 65 goals conceded in the Premier League this season are the most ever by a side in their first 25 matches in the competition.
“Mason has to take the responsibility that his decision has hurt us and the game plan goes out of the window after that,” Wilder said. “You have to get the game plan spot on against Brighton because of what they can do in terms of opening you up. It’s difficult when things like that, which, of course, was self-inflicted, go against you.”
A victory at fellow strugglers Luton last weekend had breathed new life into the Blades’ hopes of avoiding relegation, but they reverted to type with a self-inflicted loss that edged them nearer to the drop.
Brighton were winless in their previous six Premier League away matches, but they had won 5-2 at Bramall Lane in the fourth round of the FA Cup last month and ended their barren stretch on their return to Yorkshire.
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