Alejandro Garnacho’s progression has been one of several positives for Manchester United in recent months. The 18-year-old was introduced in the Manchester derby with his side 1-0 down to a Jack Grealish goal.
The Madrid-born Argentina youth international was full of energy and attacking intent – and within six minutes his side were level. Within 10 he had set up Marcus Rashford for the winner.
Garnacho’s attitude was not to manager Erik ten Hag’s liking at the start of the season so he simply was not part of the Dutch coach's plans. Asked after Saturday’s Manchester derby how much improvement he’d seen in Garnacho’s attitude and all round play, Ten Hag replied: “A lot. He has a skill that I don’t see many players in the Premier League having – he beats players one on one.
“But he’s learnt in the last months about how to play in a team, how to live, how to do the right things in the week, how to have the right attitude on the training ground and you see how he’s acting as a team player and with his individual skills that can make the difference.”
Ten Hag has stressed that Garnacho needs to put in consistent effort. “He needs to keep going. It’s not done. There is a lot to come. There is a lot of room for improvement with him but he can help, he can contribute on the highest level already and I’m really happy.
“It’s a bonus for us as a club that you bring in young players and they can come not only into the squad, but the team and I think that is a part of our project that has to contribute to our success.”
United play Crystal Palace on Wednesday and Garnacho came off the bench when they last played at Selhurst Park in a 1-0 defeat for the final game of last season. The mood among the players and fans is utterly unrecognisable since then, something which the Dutchman is well aware.
Man United 2 Man City 1: Player ratings
-
MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: David De Gea - 7, City had more possession but fewer chances in the first half – just one shot to United’s four. A couple of poor balls out and couldn’t do much for City’s goal. Getty -
Tyrell Malacia - 9, His best United game. Made a fine run on a 32nd minute counter attack but the pass from Fernandes didn’t come to him. Excellent cutting out a 54th minute De Bruyne ball. Targeted in the last derby, a 3-6 defeat. Much better in this one, though a 75th minute cross was a poor one. PA -
Luke Shaw - 9, Surprise starter and busy as City put a lot of balls into the United box. Took the ball off Bernardo to break up a 54th minute City attack. Roared on after a 94th minute interception which stopped a City attack. And again in the 95th minute. AFP -
Raphael Varane - 9, He’s brilliant. Followed Haaland closely and bested him throughout. Rapid when clearing up loose ball, snuffing attacks out. Went towards J Stand at the end and bellowed in celebration with the fans. This is why he joined United. Magnificent performance. Reuters -
Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 8, Big test for the man – and he was up to it. Grew stronger in the second half, battled, won tackles and even had a shot on goal. AFP -
Fred - 8, Man-marked De Bruyne. Two super tackles on him after 18, to huge cheers. Energy to the end. Like a rat up a drainpipe. Magnificent. EPA -
Casemiro - 8, Headed corners away. Blocked Haaland’s shot on 24. Couldn’t get close enough to De Bruyne as he set up City’s opener. Ball towards Rashford set up the equaliser – though Fernandes converted it. Helped United be so good out of possession. PA -
Christian Eriksen - 6, Played in the No 10 role and put Fernandes in for an early shot. Combined well with Rashford in a 37th minute attack. Booked for a second foul on Grealish and brought off soon after. PA -
Bruno Fernandes - 8, Played on the right, defended well, pressed well. Manager’s man of the match. Shot wide after 11 following an Eriksen assist. Poor ball towards Malacia on 32 as United countered. Lofted a clever ball forward. Then he equalised – what a (controversial) moment. Getty -
Anthony Martial - 5, Surprise start given his manager said he was injured. Effective when coming back early in the game and linking up on the attacks, but he didn’t press as he should – and did against City in previous derbies. Off at half time. Getty -
Marcus Rashford - 8, Linked with those around him. Broke on 33 and shot but it was easily cleared. Burned Rodri off on 37 but ran out of space as Ederson came out and made a top save. Pulled up soon after and it looked like he’d have to leave the field at half time. He didn’t and stayed on to get the 82nd minute winner, the ninth consecutive game he’s scored in. AFP -
SUBS: Antony - 5, On for Martial at half time. Didn’t do much. Reuters -
Alejandro Garnacho - 7, On for Eriksen after 71. Energetic and ran down left. Tried to cross, the ball hit Ake’s face and came back to him. He turned, then hit a left footed cross towards Rashford for the winner. EPA -
Harry Maguire N/A. Lisandro Martinez N/A. Scott McTominay N/A. Reuters -
MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Ederson - 5, Looked shaky at times, notably rushing out and being beaten to the ball by Rashford, but did well to smother the United forward later in the first half. Little he could have done about the goals. PA -
Kyle Walker - 6, Was solid for large periods, notably stepping out to stop Fernandes’ pass to Malacia, and got forward well with one ambitious shot fizzing agonisingly wide before half time. Was beaten by Fernandes for the equaliser. PA -
Manuel Akanji - 6, Cleared Rashford’s shot off the line then stopped Martial getting off a convincing header. Did superbly to stop Malacia’s ball through, then halted Garnacho’s run but was involved as Fernandes equalised then completely lost Rashford as United went ahead. AFP -
Nathan Ake - 6, Wasn’t afraid to step out and make an impact, whether that was on the ball or winning it back. However, he was turned by Garnacho before the substitute set up the winner. AP -
Joao Cancelo - 7, Showed early intent with a burst forward while also defending well, notably reaching Martial’s pass ahead of Rashford and heading away Shaw’s cross. AFP -
Kevin De Bruyne - 8, Was frustrated by Fred early on but his influence grew as the game progressed with the Belgian’s delightful dink setting up Grealish’s opener. Couldn’t quite unlock United’s defence as City chased the equaliser. EPA -
Rodrigo - 7, Put in a lot of strong defensive work, winning the ball back when United threatened to break forward and doing well to keep Rashford under pressure when he was bearing down on goal. PA -
Bernardo Silva - 5, Dropped deep to get the ball in the first half but played a poor pass that resulted in a chance for Fernandes. Couldn’t quite play Haaland through, then tried to head the ball back when there was the chance to go for goal. AFP -
Riyad Mahrez - 6, Was frustrated by the amount of times Malacia fouled him in the first half and had a poor pass cut out in a promising position. Played a lovely flick to help a De Bruyne burst forward. Getty -
Erling Haaland - 5, Tried to come deep to get on the ball and saw his one real shot blocked by Casemiro. Made a strong defensive header from a United corner but was unable to get a shot off before Casemiro tackled him. AFP -
Phil Foden - 4, Was very quiet and was caught offside a few times. Couldn’t get a convincing header on De Bruyne’s cross and played a poor pass in a promising position. Hooked after 57 minutes. EPA -
SUB: Jack Grealish (Foden, 57’) - 8, Made an instant impact as he headed home De Bruyne’s cross, then continued to get on the ball. His late cross required a superb defensive header from Shaw. AFP
“At Selhurst Park with the atmosphere there it’s a difficult place to go. You have to be really good, you have to be 100 per cent. They’re a good team Palace, they’re a physical team, they will battle us from the first moment on. So we have to be really focused and have the right energy levels to beat them - that’s quite clear.”
Nonetheless, Ten Hag is impressed by how his players are following his instructions. “How I see they transfer the plan to the game I think was brilliant,” he said using Saturday’s derby as an example.
“To see how they are in possession. We talked about the role of Bruno Fernandes [against City] but out of possession – how we defended against the front players of Manchester City – it was really good. Yes, I trust them. They were behind the plan fully, 100 per cent, and controlled the game for long periods in the first half.”
Ten Hag believes Saturday will help give his side the belief great United sides had. “I am convinced of that,” he said. “Teams need experience to build that mentality, to build that belief, that a game is only over when the ref whistles for the last time.
“To stay in the game you have to construct that and you need experiences like this to improve even more and push it even more to a higher level of mentality.”
One reason United have been successful is that Ten Hag has made the correct calls when selecting players. Luke Shaw lost his place in the side at the start of the season but forced his way back and is playing very well – even managing to keep Erling Haaland quiet on Saturday.
Ten Hag was pleased with his attitude and application. “It’s quite obvious,” he said of Shaw. “I like that he’s so honest. After the second game he didn’t play and said: ‘I fully understand, my performance is not right’.
“But from the first day in training at pre-season he was working really hard and you can see when he has the right approach he’s a top player – I don’t mean only as a team player, he’s a leader.
“He’s showed a lot of leadership capacities – he’s the example at this moment – and with his skills and with his physical power he brings a lot to the team. But now also with his mentality. He’s an example of how to win big games. I’m happy with his development.
“I think it’s been huge either at centre-half or left full back, he’s a great player and a great personality for the dressing room.”
It was Ten Hag’s decision to play Shaw, normally a full-back, against Haaland. “It is a big decision but I think when you analyse the profile of Haaland and the combination with [Kevin] De Bruyne it was also the right decision because Luke has the physical power to compete with them and also has the tactical view to make the right decision and technical skills to play in that position,” said ten Hag.
“So I think [against City] it matched really well but I think in other games he can contribute even more on the left in the wide positions so it’s a tactical choice and we can see from game to game what we need. And I think we have more players in our squad who have the capacity to be multi-functional and we can use that as a weapon in games.”
