A 1-1 draw at home can never be celebrated, but there was rightly reason for optimism among those of a Manchester United persuasion following Sunday’s clash with rivals Arsenal.
The first-half may have been dull and dour at Old Trafford, yet inspired by Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick stunner just before the break, the Red Devils sprung into life in the second period.
Central to that vibrant display after the interval was Alejandro Garnacho, with manager Ruben Amorim labelling it as the winger’s “best game” since he’s been at the helm.
There have no doubt been some low moments for Garnacho in recent months, having memorably been left out for the trip to the Etihad, alongside Marcus Rashford, yet the 20-year-old remains United’s key attacking threat on the flanks, having only recently supplied the assist to Joshua Zirkzee away in San Sebastian.
Talk was rife in January that the mercurial talent was set for a £60m move to Chelsea, yet, thankfully, the Argentina international stayed put, with the youngster still the third-highest scorer this season, despite only netting once under Amorim.
Player
Games
Goals
Assists
Bruno Fernandes
42
12
13
Amad
36
9
7
Alejandro Garnacho
43
8
7
Rasmus Hojlund
37
7
1
Marcus Rashford
24
7
3
Joshua Zirkzee
42
6
2
Christian Eriksen
25
4
4
Casemiro
30
3
0
Harry Maguire
28
3
0
Signed for a reported fee of just £420k back in 2020, it has been some rise for the wing wizard, having soared his way up the attacking pecking order…
Alejandro Garnacho's rise under Ten Hag
It’s not often that academy football takes precedence over first-team fortunes, yet that was certainly the case back in May 2022. With the senior ranks enduring a dour campaign bookended by Ralf Rangnick’s dismal interim spell, all eyes were on United’s FA Youth Cup final clash against Nottingham Forest.
With a record crowd of 60,000 watching on at Old Trafford, the club’s U18 side romped to a 3-1 victory, spearheaded by a brilliant brace from the breathtaking, Garnacho.
The then-teenager – who had actually made his first-team debut under Rangnick in late April against Chelsea – was then made to wait for a more prominent role in the senior ranks, however, with new boss Erik ten Hag deciding not to hand him any game time during the 2022 summer tour.
It later transpired that issues surrounding Garnacho’s attitude had been a factor in that lack of action, with the Spain-born starlet gradually eased in at the start of 2022/23, having not been handed his first Premier League start until the 3-1 loss away to Aston Villa in early November.
The one-time Atletico Madrid product had properly announced himself just a few days earlier, however, after capitalising on Cristiano Ronaldo’s assist away to Real Sociedad, while he would go on to score at the death off the bench against Fulham.
A “game-changer” – as lauded by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst – is what Garnacho largely remained that season after making only 14 starts in all competitions, with Ten Hag having initially favoured other attacking talents ahead of him…
Man Utd's "bargain" sale who was ahead of Garnacho
It is remarkable to remember that United lined up for the opening game of the 2022/23 season with a front three consisting of Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Christian Eriksen, with the latter man thrust into an unorthodox false nine berth.
Where Are They Now
Less than three years on, both Rashford and Sancho find themselves out on loan, while Eriksen – whose centre-forward experiment was unsurprisingly cut short – looks set to leave the club upon the expiry of his contract this summer.
It wasn’t until Ten Hag’s third Premier League game in charge that a turning point occurred, with the Red Devils seeing off rivals Liverpool, as Sancho opened the scoring courtesy of an Anthony Elanga assist.
Elanga – who was actually hooked at the break on the night – had been the shining light of a grim 2021/22 campaign, with the Swedish speedster producing a particular highlight after scoring a last-gasp equaliser away to Atletico.
As then-MEN writer Rich Fay noted at the time, ‘Elanga was the bright future hope, and Garnacho was largely unknown outside of the academy system.’
While Garnacho waited in the wings, his fellow academy graduate actually started three of the first five league games in Ten Hag’s debut season, with Fay stating that Elanga had been ‘regularly preferred’ by the Dutchman, particularly due to his ‘movement both on and off the ball’.
Unfortunately for the current Nottingham Forest man, his inability to offer an end product appeared to be his undoing as the campaign progressed. In all, he ended that season with just two assists and no goals to his name. Garnacho, meanwhile, chalked up nine goals and assists.
Having at one stage been Rangnick and Ten Hag’s man on the flanks, Elanga was given the cold shoulder heading into 2023, after failing to feature in any of the final 13 top-flight games of that campaign.
That ‘exile’ saw United and Ten Hag opt to cash in on the Malmo-born winger that summer, with Forest forking out just £15m for his services – a move that now looks like a real “bargain”, according to analyst Ben Mattinson.
Away from the bright lights of Old Trafford, the 22-year-old has been an “electric” presence for the Tricky Trees – as hailed by Statman Dave – after chalking up 26 goals and assists in 70 games for his new side.
That includes 11 goal involvements in the Premier League alone this season, while Garnacho boasts only four. That said, the current United star does have 15 goals and assists to his name in all competitions, ahead of his former teammate’s tally of 12.
Perhaps, it merely represents a case of Elanga finding the perfect home at the City Ground, although his performances may sting as far as United are concerned, particularly with Newcastle United having reportedly even bid £50m for his services last summer.
The 19-cap Sweden international’s lack of impact under Ten Hag was evident, yet with Amorim and co currently starved of attacking depth, would there not be a role for Elanga in the squad these days?
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