Man Utd 3 West Ham 0: Hojlund and Garnacho steal the show as young guns spur Red Devils to rare comfortable win

IT will be a picture Manchester United fans will be hoping stands the test of time.

Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund – 18, 19 and 21 today – sat on an advertising hoarding beaming smiles as the fans celebrated behind them.

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Alejandro Garnacho scored twice in the second half[/caption]

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Rasmus Hojlund scored for the fourth game running[/caption]

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Manchester United fans will hope this photo stands the test of time[/caption]

Garnacho had just scored the Red Devils second in a thumping victory for the home side to cap a fine eight days.

It is on these three talents upon which manager Erik ten Hag wants to build an exciting future.

There is something Manchester United fans love about a dazzling winger and Garnacho is just that, he struck in the 49th and 84th minutes to make it seven goals for the season.

The Argentine draws you to the edge of your seat like so many of his predecessors have done in a similar role at this theatre.

The brilliance of Mainoo was showcased in midweek with his brilliant winner in stoppage time at Wolves.

Now Hojlund is really starting to find his feet.

He celebrated this, his 21st birthday with a fifth goal in his last six United games to open the scoring.

Early doubts are being dispelled.

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Lisandro Martinez was forced off with an injury[/caption]

The Red Devils were back to their best in the easy win

West Ham faded after a promising first half

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This striker really could be the one they have been waiting for.

For West Ham this was a sixth game without a win but only their second league defeat since the start of November.

Wayward finishing was to blame while Ten Hag’s side are starting to be more clinical.

That is four in the cup against Newport, four away to Wolves and another three here.

It was West Ham who had the best of the early exchanges and it needed a great save from Andre Onana to keep the home side on level terms.

The Cameroon international is back from a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations in which he was dropped after playing one game.

There had been calls for him to be dropped from the United side as well thanks to some high profile blunders that lead directly to the club’s Champions League exit at the group stage.

Still he can produce moments of brilliance and one of those came after just 11 minutes.

James Ward-Prowse whipped in a corner and when Tomas Soucek’s header deflected off Edson Alvarez it needed a quick adjustment from Onana to produce the save.

There needed a smart one from his opposite number soon after when from Bruno Fernandes long range dipping drive, Alphonse Areola stuck up a hand and deflected the ball over.

United took the lead on 23 minutes and it was another cracking finish from Hojlund.

Credit Casemiro first for reading Kurt Zouma’s headed clearance to intercept and lay the ball forward for the Dane.

His control was superb as with his left foot he wrong-footed two West Ham players and then let fly from the edge of the area with his right to give Areola no chance.

Another great moment for a player really starting to find his feet at United.

That made it double figures for the season and five of them have come in the last six matches.

Casemiro showed what United have missed in his injury absence

Garnacho was clinical in front of goal against the Hammers

Down but not out West Ham responded and Ben Johnson’s long-range effort saw Onana opt for safety first with a punched stop when perhaps the ball could have been caught.

Then from a corner David Moyes was left jumping in frustration as Alvarez’s flick header flashed across goal.

At the break Hammers goalkeeper Areola had to be taken off and replaced by Lukasz Fabianski.

Areola had needed treatment in the first half after 14 minutes when he slid out and got a knee in the head from his own defender Zouma as they combined to thwart Rashford.

Clearly he had not properly recovered from that.

Harry Maguire was back in the side for Raphael Varane and had a strong first half but three minutes after the break he almost gifted West Ham an equaliser.

His scuffed back pass allowed Emerson Palmieri a free run on goal but his attempted finish was embarrassing as he scooped the ball over the bar.

As can so often happen in these situations the salt can be quickly rubbed into the wounds and so it was as just a minute later the home side extended their lead.

Fernandes swung the ball across the West Ham box, Garnacho picked it up and released a powerful shot that deflected in off Nayef Aguerd.

Off he charged towards the fans and climbed up onto an advertising hoarding before being joined by Hojlund and Mainoo.

United were in command but West Ham spurned another chance to get on the scoreboard.

It was the 69th minute when a superb through ball from Alvarez put top scorer Jarrod Bowen away.

Just as he looked to pull the trigger a sprinting Diogo Dalot slid in to block his shot.

Again they would be made to pay as the home side plundered a third before the end.

Substitute Scott McTominay won the ball on halfway brought it forward and fed Garnacho.

What a finish as he fired the ball across goal and into the far side of the goal.

Job done and with some style, as the only negative was the injury to Lisandro Martinez.

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