Garnacho praised by former Reds captain
Former Manchester United captain Antonio Valencia believes Alejandro Garnacho is 'getting better every day' after becoming a fully-fledged member of Erik ten Hag's first-team squad.
Finding the net on five occasions for United, as well as registering the same amount of assists, Alejandro also earned his first call-up to the Argentinian national team, as his development continues to go from strength to strength.
Valencia, who spent ten years at Old Trafford from 2009 and skippered the side in 2018/19, admits he is impressed by what he has seen from Garnacho so far.
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“I like him, and the fans want to see him play. Everybody wanted to see him come on [against Wolves at the end of last season].
“We knew he was coming off the back of an injury, but he entered the game really well.
“He took the pitch with a lot of an energy. He changed the face of the match, because he came on to cause pressure, and that’s what the team needed.”
Known for his electric pace and intelligent trickery, Alejandro has sometimes been used by manager Erik ten Hag as a substitute to help stretch the game when opposition defenders are often tiring.
This tactic was evident in that May meeting with Wolves, when the Argentinian raced through on goal after Bruno Fernandes set him free, with the teenager slotting home in fine fashion in front of the Stretford End.
Having been in attendance at Old Trafford that day, Valencia believes a player of Garnacho's quality can really help the Reds in the latter stages of games.
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“They needed somebody with that energy to come on, to press high up on the pitch with the idea of scoring and assisting,” added the former Ecuador international, who retired in May 2021.
“So he changed the face of the match. I like how he came on. So, being a fan of the club, I was very happy to see him on the pitch.
“Let’s hope he’s back at that level soon and can play some incredible games, because we need him.”