Alejandro Garnacho

Ruben: Garna still learning new system

Wednesday 15 January 2025 22:30

Ruben Amorim says Alejandro Garnacho is improving behind the scenes as he learns to play in the head coach's new system at Manchester United.

The Argentina international made his name as a flying winger with the Reds, after breaking into the first team under Erik ten Hag in 2022.

The onus on stretching the play and providing width is placed on the wing-backs in Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation, with Garnacho often fielded as an inside forward – a position he is less familiar with but which Ruben says he needs to learn.

The 20-year-old hasn’t started a league game for United since the meeting with Nottingham Forest on 7 December but has still been bright in recent weeks, registering two assists across the games at Liverpool and Arsenal to start 2025.

Part two: Press conference v Southampton Video

Part two: Press conference v Southampton

Press conference part two | Ruben Amorim discusses Garnacho’s future, Maguire’s momentum and Mount’s progress…

Our head coach was asked by reporters if he thought Garnacho was likely to have a good future at the club and what he wanted to see from him, in the second part of Wednesday’s press conference.

“That is clear, he has talent,” replied Ruben.

“He needs to learn to play a little bit in a different position. He needs to play better inside.

“He improved a lot in the recovering position, when he doesn’t have the ball, but, doing that, sometimes he’s not in the right place to make transitions, like he was in the past, because I prefer to defend and then build up with all the team to make the final third.

“So he’s finding the best way to play in this system. He’s improving, during training. So he started the last game [at the Emirates Stadium], let’s see tomorrow.”

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