Kenilworth Road hadn’t played host to the Red Devils for a league meeting since 1992, but inside the first minute, the home faithful were left wishing the day had never come.
Amari’i Bell’s misguided attempt to deal with a high ball inadvertently played Hojlund in on goal, allowing the Dane to round Thomas Kaminski and score after just 37 seconds - United’s fastest-ever Premier League away goal.
Hojlund also became the youngest player in competition history to score in six successive games, and with his confidence brimming, he doubled his tally in just the seventh minute by masterfully redirecting Alejandro Garnacho’s volley into the far corner off his chest.
Rob Edwards’ men were closer to the front row than the ropes in a harrowing opening 10 minutes, but cheered on by a raucous home crowd, the Hatters soon found their feet and pushed United back.
The hosts had reduced the arrears by the quarter-hour mark in fortuitous fashion, with Carlton Morris powering home a header to score for a third successive game after Ross Barkley’s shot ballooned into his path.
Luton were truly dominant at that stage, and continued to be right until the interval, but somehow failed to level the scores. Cauley Woodrow, Alfie Doughty and Morris all saw big chances go begging, while Woodrow and Casemiro were both fortunate to escape red cards for late challenges having already been cautioned.
Erik ten Hag would have been a relieved man at the break after seeing his side give up possession at will in an incredibly sloppy final half-hour of the opening period. The Dutchman also lost left-back Luke Shaw to injury before the interval, and he showed his displeasure with his side’s performance by substituting both Casemiro and Harry Maguire ahead of the second half.
And while United remained fragile at the back, their threat on the counter had at least returned, with Kaminski making a strong save to deny Marcus Rashford before Albert Sambi Lokonga heroically denied Bruno Fernandes with the goal gaping.
The visitors continued to pass up opportunities to restore their two-goal lead, with Garnacho the latest culprit as after being released into acres of space by Rashford, he rounded Kaminski but failed to get a clean shot away.
Hojlund and Fernandes then squandered chances to tie up the victory, but those misses mattered not, as United held firm to secure a fifth successive away victory for the first time since October 2020.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United)
