Fresh from their chaotic Champions League implosion in midweek, Manchester United will attempt to return to winning ways when they welcome Luton Town to Old Trafford for a Premier League clash on Saturday.
While the under-pressure Red Devils currently sit eighth in the table, six points behind the top four, the Hatters are down in 17th place and are hovering just above the relegation zone on goal difference.
Match preview
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Drama seems to follow Man United wherever they go in what has turned into a calamitous campaign for Erik ten Hag's side, who have suffered nine defeats in their opening 17 games of a season for the first time since 1973-74.
Following disastrous 3-0 home defeats to Newcastle United and Manchester City, the Red Devils briefly stopped the rot with a last-gasp 1-0 win over Fulham in the Premier League last weekend. However, Ten Hag and co have since suffered a huge blow in their quest to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League after losing 4-3 to Copenhagen in an action-packed group-stage contest on Wednesday.
Two early goals from Rasmus Hojlund put Man United in control in Denmark, but they were pegged back to 2-2 on the stroke of half time shortly after Marcus Rashford was sent off. Bruno Fernandes then put the Red Devils back in front from the penalty spot, but Ten Hag's men crumbled and conceded twice as 17-year-old Roony Bardghji netted what proved to be the winning strike in the 87th minute.
Man United, who have conceding three or more goals on seven occasions so far this season, sit rock bottom of Group A and face an uphill battle to secure a top-two finish with just two Champions League games remaining against Galatasaray and Bayern Munich, who both beat the Red Devils earlier this season.
The pressure continues to mount on the shoulders of Ten Hag, who can ill-afford another setback in United's final fixture before the international break at home to Luton, who have failed to win any of their last 11 meetings with the Red Devils in all competitions.
Man United enter Saturday's match having already lost five home games this season, their most after 10 fixtures in all competitions since 1930-31 (also five); they have not lost three successive matches at Old Trafford since October 1962.
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Luton will be motivated by the prospect of pulling off a significant scalp at the Theatre of Dreams as they endeavour to build on their admirable 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Kenilworth Road last weekend.
Former Manchester United man Tahith Chong thought he had netted the winner for the Hatters when he slotted home his first-ever Premier League goal 10 minutes from time, but Luis Diaz scored a 95th-minute equaliser on an emotional return to the Liverpool side, following the kidnapping of his father, to force both teams to share the spoils.
Manager Rob Edwards insisted that he felt more "pride than disappointment" after the full-time whistle blew as Luton's dogged display was enough to claim a point against one of the strongest teams in the league to help them climb out of the bottom three, now sitting above 18th-placed Bournemouth on goal difference and two points clear of fellow promoted sides Burnley and Sheffield United.
While Edwards can certainly take positives from his team accumulating two points from their last three Premier League fixtures, only one victory has been recorded in 11 games since returning to the top flight this term. With tricky encounters against Arsenal, Man City and Newcastle still to come in 2023, the Hatters can ill-afford to extend their five-game winless run if they wish to steer themselves further clear of the drop zone.
Luton condemned Man United to their first-ever home league defeat back in 1897, but they have since lost each of their last 18 visits to the Red Devils; the Hatters are preparing for their first trip to Old Trafford since suffering a heavy 5-0 defeat in the old First Division back in September 1991.
Team News
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Man United will be without Casemiro (hamstring), Lisandro Martinez (foot), Luke Shaw (muscle), Amad Diallo, Tyrell Malacia (both knee) and Jadon Sancho (disciplinary), while Jonny Evans has also been ruled out by Ten Hag after being forced off with a muscle problem inside the first 15 minutes of the defeat to Copenhagen.
The absence of Evans will likely see Raphael Varane recalled at centre-back to partner Harry Maguire, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot could continue at right-back and left-back respectively, forcing Sergio Reguilon to begin as a substitute yet again.
Should Ten Hag decide to switch Rashford over to his favoured left flank, either Facundo Pellistri or Antony could return to the first XI to start on the right at the expense of Alejandro Garnacho.
As for Luton, Mads Andersen, Reece Burke, Albert Sambi Lokonga (all thigh), Daniel Potts, Jordan Clark (both ankle) and Cauley Woodrow (calf) all remain sidelined with injuries, while Amari'i Bell is closing in on a return from a thigh problem and could recover in time for Saturday's game.
After scoring his first Luton goal as a substitute last weekend, Man United academy graduate Chong will be pushing to start against his former club and could link arms with Marvelous Nakamba and Ross Barkley in centre-midfield.
Should Edwards opt to begin with three in midfield, new recruit Andros Townsend could drop down to the substitutes' bench as Chiedozie Ogbene, Jacob Brown and Elijah Adebayo all battle for a start up front alongside Carlton Morris.
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Maguire, Dalot; McTominay, Eriksen; Pellistri, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund
Luton Town possible starting lineup:
Kaminski; Kabore, Mengi, Lockyer, Osho, Doughty; Barkley, Nakamba, Chong; Adebayo, Morris
We say: Manchester United 3-1 Luton Town
Luton's valiant efforts against Liverpool have provided the Hatters fanbase with optimism that they can compete with the big boys this term, and they should not be taken lightly by an out-of-sorts Man United outfit on Saturday.
Anything other than a victory for Man United could increase speculation over Ten Hag's future, and although the Red Devils look vulnerable at the back, we believe that the hosts will find a way to come out on top and head into the international break on a much-needed high.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Oliver Thomas
