Why Manchester United need Alejandro Garnacho now more than ever

As recently as October 2022, Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho was featuring for the club’s under-21 side.

In between a thrashing from city rivals Manchester City and victory against Cypriot outfit Omonia Nicosia for the first team, Alejandro Garnacho had won it in stoppage time for the Manchester United under-21s at the SO Legal Stadium against Barrow in the Papa John’s Trophy in front of a crowd of 2,966.

The 18-year-old had already made a name for himself in previous seasons since joining the club in 2020 from Atletico Madrid as a 16-year-old, most notably on route to last season’s FA Youth Cup success, but this seemed like a cry to those at Carrington pleading for a shot at first-team football more than anything.

Garnacho impressed on his first United start against Sheriff Tiraspol in the Europa League – a game he enjoyed out in his natural left-wing position where he attempted at every opportunity he got to show the crowd what he’s all about – speed, directness, and tricky to defend against.

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However, it was the final showdown before the World Cup break, a tournament he very nearly featured in by making Lionel Scaloni’s 44-man provisional squad, where Garnacho left his mark on senior football, announcing himself to the world.

Garnacho’s darting run into the box against Fulham saw him latch onto Christian Eriksen’s perfectly threaded pass, before coolly slotting home in front of a strong travelling United support to hand his side all three points in the 94th minute.

Just a week prior to that game, Garnacho produced a special 29-minute cameo at Old Trafford against Aston Villa in the third round of the EFL Cup, providing two assists including a fine cross from deep to find the lung-bursting run of Scott McTominay.

Garnacho has been out injured since early April, though his manager Erik ten Hag gave the Reds a boost, confirming he is back in training, with minutes in the upcoming clash against Villa possible.

His team need him most right now, which sounds bizarre to say about a teenager who is playing his first-ever season of senior football.

United and Ten Hag are reportedly in a stand-off with Garnacho in fighting to keep him in Manchester instead of going to compete for Argentina in the under-20 World Cup. It was revealed on Friday morning that he will not attend the tournament, despite his desire to do so.

In the attacking positions this season, United have lacked numbers through injury, with Anthony Martial, Antony and Marcus Rashford all having faced time on the treatment table.

Although Jadon Sancho netted in United’s disappointing 2-2 draw against Tottenham on Thursday, the England international has failed to stake a claim for a spot on the wings since returning from a specialist individual training programme put together by Ten Hag.

Sancho and Garnacho are completely different profiles of wingers, and that’s normal in football, but the answer to the question of ‘who fits the bill for a classic Manchester United winger more?’ would almost certainly be Garnacho for one main reason:

He excites fans and gets them off their seats.

The rawness of the Argentine shows a directness in his game which Sancho lacks.

Sancho prefers to link-play among midfielders arriving into the box, but United don’t currently have someone of that profile, meaning the Old Trafford faithful have seen nowhere near the player they thought they signed from Borussia Dortmund in July 2021. 

Garnacho’s impact against Man City in January to overcome a 1-0 deficit late on will be remembered as another one of his special cameos in his so far youthful career – so too a late strike at Elland Road to seal victory for United against fierce rivals Leeds.

In the second half at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Thursday evening, United looked flat and complacent.

Ten Hag called upon Anthony Martial and Wout Weghorst, though neither injected a lease of life Garnacho is capable of.

The same can be said about United’s most recent visit to Wembley where they booked their place into the FA Cup final thanks to a Victor Lindelof penalty in the shootout after 120 minutes.

United barely threatened throughout, apart from a few moments from their talisman Bruno Fernandes. It was Sancho who was given the nod late on, but again, failed to offer what Garnacho may have been able to.

It was announced on Friday afternoon that Alejandro Garnacho has put pen to paper on a new 5-year contract with Manchester United, meaning he will now have a contract that lasts until at least 2028. This is fantastic news for those who support United, as they have really taken to Garnacho since he made his debut for the club.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic ‘SUI’ goal celebration echoed around Old Trafford in last season’s Youth Cup final when Garnacho celebrated in such a manner after his first of two goals on the night. 

Ronaldo’s relationship with the same fans took a turn for the worst since then, but that only meant it was Garnacho who adopted the classic ‘Viva Ronaldo’ chant.

United fans will certainly be looking forward to their academy graduate running down the wing once again.