Alejandro Garnacho doubles up to lift Manchester United above West Ham | first division

he is happy manchester united The victory was embellished by a powerful goal from Rasmus Højlund and Alejandro Garnacho's comical celebration of the first goal as he, Højlund and Kobbie Mainoo sat on a Stretford End advertising billboard.

It was that kind of afternoon for Erik ten Hag's work in progress. On his 21st birthday, Højlund greeted his goal with a jumping guitar mime and a raucous applause was sparked when, after Garnacho had doubled the lead, Diogo Dalot slid across the turf to block Jarrod Bowen's shot.

The low note was seeing Lisandro Martínez, four games after returning from a foot injury, be forced off in the 71st minute with what appeared to be a knee problem. The Argentine had continued playing after the collision with Tomas Soucek that seemed to cause the injury.

Ten Hag said: “It's a personal disaster (for him). It seems bad. We have to wait, make the correct diagnosis in the next few days and we'll see. I hope it's not so bad, we just have to pray.”

The victory lifts United to sixth place, eight points behind Aston Villa in fourth place. Ten Hag said: “We can achieve a lot because everyone is killing everyone (in the league). The three young people celebrate together; “Before the season we saw the potential, but they need games and experience.”

Even at 2-0 up, United were too open until Garnacho's second win sealed it and they made it two in a row. first division wins for only the third time this season.

West Ham took advantage of this tremor from the start, pacing and almost taking advantage of their first corner. James Ward-Prowse lifted the ball, Soucek's header was met by Edson Álvarez before André Onana, face to face with him in a crowded six-yard box, dived to the left to save.

United accelerated the march. Harry Maguire, replacing Raphaël Varane, intercepted Soucek's pass near the halfway mark. Marcus Rashford took control and crossed the box before Kurt Zouma cleared. The corner, deflected short by a combination of Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford, was worked to Bruno Fernandes: he took a shot, it went under the bar and Alphonse Areola palmed it away.

Soucek's 20-yard shot then went for a corner and when the ball got away from Mohammed Kudus, Martínez fouled the winger.

Ward-Prowse finished the free kick low and Casemiro parried the shot with his head.

The Brazilian was then instrumental in Højlund's fifth goal in six outings when he stabbed a Zouma clearance at the Dane. In an instant, Højlund lowered one shoulder, moved the ball from left to right and a dead-end shot beat Areola. The rest of the half saw United's pace slow and the Hammers threatened them from several Ward-Prowse set pieces. From a corner, Højlund almost became guilty by grabbing Zouma in the area. He escaped the penalty and, as half-time approached, missed a Garnacho tee, shooting wide from an acute angle.

Areola, who had received an inadvertent knock from Zouma, was replaced by Lukasz Fabianski in the second half. Ten Hag's men emerged needing to be quicker and more skillful, which Maguire was not when he dawdled and was mobbed by Emerson Palmieri. Suddenly, the left-back came on but stepped forward and instantly regretted his mistake as West Ham conceded.

It was simple: Fernandes sent the ball towards Garnacho, who cut to his left and unloaded, the shot ricocheting off Nayef Aguerd past Fabianski. The Garnacho‑Højlund-Mainoo celebration continued and United had a two-goal lead. It should have been 3-0 when the ball reached Rashford, but he parried the attempt, flashing a rare smile which, given his recent travails in Belfast, was heartening to see.

The manner of the third was also encouraging for United. Scott McTominay, on for Mainoo, took possession away from Kalvin Phillips and curled the ball towards Garnacho, who trotted forward and made no mistake.

David Moyes said: “We played better than when we beat them (2-0 at home) in December. “I enjoyed my team’s performance but not the result.”

This match took place two days before the anniversary of the Munich air disaster on 6 February 1958, which caused 23 deaths, including eight United players and three staff. A United victory inspired by young players seemed a fitting tribute to those who died in that tragedy.