Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has urged Alejandro Garnacho to channel his emotions after missing chances in the last outing against Leeds.
Garnacho made his first-team debut towards the end of the campaign and endured a bumpy start to life under Ten Hag.
The 18-year-old Argentina shot to prominence by scoring winning goals against Real Sociedad and Fulham in November.
Garnacho slowly gained the trust of his manager and made his 22nd appearance of the campaign on Wednesday. There, he missed two great chances to score in the 2-2 comeback draw against Leeds.
He set up Marcus Rashford's winning goal against Manchester City last month but has not scored since November
"I think he is doing well," Ten Hag was quoted as saying by the Press Association ahead of the trip to Elland Road on Sunday to face Leeds again. "He has an impact on our game. I think he's a threat.
Man United 2-2 Leeds ratings
-
MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: David de Gea 6 - Beaten at his near post in the first minute. Saved well from Struijk, who should’ve scored in a frenetic first half. Conceded a sloppy own goal. AFP -
Diogo Dalot 6 - Hardly played after a hamstring injury picked up representing Portugal as last year’s World Cup but started in his side’s eighth home game of 2023 so far. Manchester United had won them all, but not this one. Saw a shot towards goal deflected at the end of the first half. Overlapped and lovely cross for Rashford to score. AP -
Raphael Varane 6 - Backwards looping header saved on 28 minutes. Put the ball into his net for Leeds’ second on 48. Getty -
Lisandro Martinez 7 - Backline wasn’t composed. Won the ball in a very physical challenge on the excellent Gnonto and then made a key challenge to touch ball away from Summerville. Getty -
Luke Shaw 6 - One of many players took time to find their feet. Poor delivery as United attacked on 66 minutes, but heavily involved driving forward and contributing to the second goal. AP -
Fred 5 - Mediocre in the first half – the whole midfield was. The Brazilian gave the ball away too much but became more involved in the second. Shot on target on 88 – a minute after giving the ball away twice. Got the shot wrong. Curled a shot on target on 91. Less effective without Casemiro. PA -
Marcel Sabitzer 6 - First start for United and frustrated to volley over on 14. Shot wide on 18. Shot saved after 31. Booked. Not easy to come into a new side, but he adapted well enough. Getty -
Marcus Rashford 6 - Injuries meant he played on the right, smashed a shot which knocked Struijk to the ground on 18 minutes. Switched to the left for the second half; shot wide on 54 minutes and volleyed miles over the crossbar on 58. Climbed beautifully to head his side’s first on 62 – his 12th goal in 14 games since returning from the World Cup. PA -
Bruno Fernandes 6 - Lost possession in the run up to Leeds’ early goal. Chance on 68 minutes, which he cursed himself for not scoring. Bravely won a ball and crossed to Varane on 78. Shot over on 80. Headed wide on 85. Frustrating night for him. Reuters -
Alejandro Garnacho 5 - Gave the ball away too much at the start – four times in the first 15 minutes. Volleyed wide on 17, then went past goalkeeper Meslier and saw a 26th minute shot headed off the line. Frustrating to watch as he ran into Ayling. Lost ball in buildup to second goal. PA -
Wout Weghorst 5 - Nothing in the first half. Or the second. Hardly his fault that he got no service, but not the player to stretch the lines like Martial. Getty -
SUBS: Jadon Sancho 8 - Hasn’t started in the league since October but made a huge difference when he came on for Garnacho after 58 minutes. Scored the second to level on 71 mins and on praise from his manager after. AFP -
Facundo Pellistri 7 - On for Weghorst after 58 mins. Involved in build up to first goal when he won the ball. Getty -
Victor Lindelof N/A - On for Sabitzer; after 81 mins - the defender went into midfield. Getty -
Tyrell Malacia N/A - On for Dalot after 81 mins and into the right of defence. Reuters -
LEEDS RATINGS: Illan Meslier, 5 – Forced Garnacho wide with an important toe as he skipped past the onrushing goalkeeper, and smartly palmed away Sabitzer’s effort from distance. Beaten too easily by Sancho’s tame leveller. PA -
Luke Ayling, 5 – Terrorised by the trickery of Garnacho and later the speed of Sancho. Got away with one when he found himself on the wrong side of the lightning-quick Spaniard who seated the defender when he calmly stepped around his rash challenge. Getty -
Robin Koch, 6 – Produced an important headed clearance to snuff out a cross intended for the in-form Rashford, but he was outjumped by the same man who dragged the hosts back into the game with his sixth goal in as many Premier League outings at Old Trafford. Getty -
Maximilian Wober, 7 – Almost grabbed an assist when his calculated flick found Struijk at the back post and used his head to good effect again to clear Garnacho’s effort off the line after the forward had rounded Meslier and then Ayling. AFP -
Pascal Struijk, 8 – A busy 20 minutes for the full-back who had an important hand in the opener and almost doubled his side’s advantage when De Gea clawed his back-post effort away, before Rashford’s thumping effort brought an early end to his evening. PA -
Weston McKennie, 8 – Covered every blade of grass and hounded United’s ball players from the off to give his side a strong foothold. Booked for bundling over Fred and delaying the resulting free-kick, but denied Rashford the winner with a vital foot. AFP -
Tyler Adams, 7 – Hustled and harried Fernandes from the off which allowed Struijk to win back possession as the visitors started with a bang. Joined McKennie in the book for clipping the heels of Fred. AP -
Luis Sinisterra, 6 – A big blow as the midfielder limped off inside eight minutes with what looked like a hamstring injury, the first of several forced changes on a costly evening for the managerless Whites. Getty -
Jack Harrison, 6 – Caused penalty area panic with some quality crosses that had red shirts scrambling. Forced United back and won his side a corner as the visitors started the second half strongly. Substituted just past the hour. PA -
Wilfried Gnonto, 8 – A dazzling start from the firing forward who hit the back of De Gea’s goal inside the first minute, and was involved again when he fed Summerville who forced the second. Getty -
Patrick Bamford, 7 – Assisted the opening goal when his neat one-two with Gnonto allowed the latter to thunder Leeds ahead. AFP -
SUBS: Crysencio Summerville (on for Sinisterra ‘8), 7 – Had United hearts in mouths when he latched on to a loose ball before having his legs taken by Martinez just outside the box. Sparked jubilation in the away end when his cross was turned in by Varane. Getty -
Junior Firpo (on for Struijk ‘23), 4 – Misjudged the trajectory of the ball which allowed United to set up Rashford's goal. Booked for wrestling Rashford to the ground with Leeds on the ropes. Getty -
Georgino Rutter (on for Bamford ‘63), 6 – Didn’t have chance to make an impact. Getty -
Brenden Aaronson (on for Harrison ‘63), 7 – Rattled the frame of the goal with virtually his first touch with De Gea well-beaten. Getty -
Sam Greenwood (on for McKennie ‘90), NR – Provided some important fresh legs in the middle. Getty -
Mateo Joseph (on for Gnonto ‘90), NR – A second Premier League appearance for the teenager. Getty
"Also [on Wednesday] he had good actions, was lively, created chances, but had to score. And finally it's about that, that you have an effect.
"As a striker you have to be on that list, the scoring list, assist list, key action list to have the right impact.
"Of course we expect him also to do the other stuff but the base stuff is also important and if you can't do the others extra then you have to do that, so that is your base function.
"But a Man United player, we expect you to have an impact, to influence the score, to influence the result, to have a positive influence on the game by scoring goals and having an assist."
Ten Hag brought on Garnacho in the second half against Crystal Palace recently, only to take him off late on. Against Leeds he missed two good chances at Old Trafford and looked frustrated to be substituted in the 59th minute.
After the game, Garnacho uploaded an emotional Instagram post.
The caption read: "When you don't understand what is happening, remember that God is in control. I trust the plan you have for me."
Ten Hag said he understood the emotions behind the message and insisted there is no issue between him and the winger.
"I don't think it's about that he doesn't understand the decision. He's quite emotional. That is his strength he is bringing in the game," Ten Hag said.
"He's totally convinced about himself. That's a good thing. You need that under the biggest stress factors that you have to perform and he's doing and he wants to contribute to the end.
"But he accepts decisions and the team is always above everything and I think he knows that.
"When he's coming off that emotion, that frustration is not against that, that he's not accepting it."
