Garnacho named November's Player of the Month

Friday 18 November 2022 07:00

Eighteen-year-old attacker Alejandro Garnacho has been voted Manchester United’s Player of the Month for November, following a standout 11 days.

With the season taking a break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Reds played a total of just four fixtures in November, but Garnacho more than made his mark.

Across our matches, the youngster scored two goals and assisted twice, as the Reds ended the first part of the season on a positive note, courtesy of his last-minute winner at Fulham.

Which of our three Reds should win Player of the Month for November?poll

Which of our three Reds should win Player of the Month for November?

The Argentinian started the month in the best possible way, scoring the winner in our 1-0 away triumph at Real Sociedad – his first senior goal for the Reds.

Garnacho raced in behind the San Sebastian side’s defence and finished a devastating counter-attack in style, giving United supporters a flavour of what was to come from him in the next three fixtures.

Alejandro started his first Premier League match on Sunday 6 November, away to Aston Villa. While the Reds were disappointingly defeated 3-1, the 18-year-old made sure his side avoided a repeat of that when the Villans visited Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup just four days later.

Starting on the bench, the youngster joined the action just after the hour mark, with United trailing 2-1. After Marcus Rashford levelled the score on 67 minutes, the Argentinian winger stole the headlines.

First, superb pressing saw the Reds win the ball high up the pitch, before Garnacho set up Bruno Fernandes to put Erik ten Hag’s side in front. And then, in added time, the 18-year-old cut inside effortlessly and produced a simply sublime pass to Scott McTominay, which the midfielder finished.

Following his performance against Villa, fans were clamouring for Ten Hag to start Garnacho away to Fulham, in our last match before the World Cup.

Carabao Cup 2022/23: United 4 Villa 2 Video

Carabao Cup 2022/23: United 4 Villa 2

Erik ten Hag’s Reds beat Villa in an Old Trafford thriller, at the third-round stage of the 2022/23 Carabao Cup…

But at Craven Cottage, despite being named among United's substitutes, he showed that he didn’t need to start to make an impact. Joining the fray on 72 minutes, Alejandro constantly looked a threat on the left, with his trademark quick dribbling and intricate footwork causing a headache for the Fulham defenders.

But it was the Argentinian's pace that proved to be the difference-maker in the dying moments at Craven Cottage, as he exchanged a quick one-two with Christian Eriksen before motoring beyond the helpless Bobby Decordova-Reid and slotting clinically beyond Bernd Leno.

As expected for a 93rd-minute winner, this goal prompted wild celebrations in the away end. Garnacho had notched his inaugural Premier League strike and clinched an important three points for United in our last match before the World Cup.

The performance against Fulham earned Alejandro his third Man-of-the-Match award of the month (after Real Sociedad, away, and Aston Villa). Erik has urged patience when it comes to the exciting Academy prospect, but he's already starting to make a name for himself.

Highlights: Fulham v United Video

Highlights: Fulham v United

Watch the best bits from United's trip to the capital, in our last match before the World Cup...

The youngster beat competition from Casemiro and David De Gea in our fan poll for this month’s award, attracting a huge 69 per cent of the vote.

Of course, Casemiro's control in midfield and De Gea's resilience between the sticks also played key roles in United's three wins from four in November, but Garnacho's impact was seemingly too great to ignore.

Congratulations on the award, Alejandro!

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