12 months is a long time in football - it can make or break a career.
For Alejandro Garnacho it's been a memorable year under Erik ten Hag. The winger made his debut for the world champions this week to cap a fine debut season in the first-team picture.
Garnacho's impact in the FA Cup final gave United fans another taste of what he has to offer. Fans love his fearlessness and direct wing play, something others in the squad have failed to show.
Undoubtedly, the 18-year-old has incredible potential. He is knocking on the door and could get even more minutes next season, especially with the return of Champions League football to Old Trafford.
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Garnacho deserves big credit for his application after turning around his United career. 12 months ago, he was in the headlines for the wrong reasons after an out-of-the-blue warning from Bruno Fernandes.
The Portuguese midfielder claimed Garnacho was "not at his best" at the start of the season, with worries over his attitude. It came after Ten Hag admitted that he was "not happy" with the youngster at the beginning of the campaign following the player's full debut against FC Sheriff.
"He [Garnacho] was good, but he knows we expect a lot from him," Fernandes told BT Sport. "He’s still really young, he’s doing really well. At the beginning of the season, he was not at his best. On the tour, he did not have the best attitude that he should have.
"That’s why he hasn’t got his chances until now. He's getting his chances now because he's training better, he's got a different attitude and he's deserving his chances. Everyone is really happy for him and pleased with his goal."
Garnacho did not feature in United's tour of Thailand and Australia. Despite travelling, he didn't make a single appearance under Ten Hag.
That is quite jarring, especially when you remember players like Tahith Chong, who looked set to leave the club all summer, were given minutes to show what they could do. Garnacho made his first appearance of pre-season in the 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford in July, their final match before the season started.
It was that performance at Old Trafford that got United fans talking. The winner at Fulham was his official unveiling; a huge moment that announced him on the Premier League stage.
From then, he has gone from strength to strength. Only a poorly-timed injury prevented him from playing more minutes in the second half of the season.
Once fit again, he was back with a bang, scoring against Wolves on his comeback. Whilst his match fitness still needed to be built up, his sharpness in one-vs-one situations was still evident, as demonstrated against City.
Being a young player at United is not easy. You can have all the potential in the world but there are no guarantees. Just ask Ravel Morrison and the countless other 'next big things' that fell by the wayside.
That is why Ten Hag deserves so much credit for the way he has handled Garnacho. He was firm but fair in his early-season criticism, without discarding the teenager.
The Dutchman arrived at Old Trafford with a burgeoning reputation for developing young talent, fitting with the club's DNA. Garnacho has been his biggest success story out of the youngsters to emerge this season.
Almost a year on from failing to make a single pre-season tour appearance, Garnacho has spent the week rubbing shoulders with Lionel Messi.
Ten Hag will keep him grounded and if Garnacho continues to work as he has in the last eight months, there is plenty more to come next season. With Jadon Sancho yet to spark into life at United, Garnacho has the opportunity to overtake the Englishman in the pecking order.
With a bit of fortune, a lot of hard work and the right guidance, the 2022/23 season could be just the start for the young wizard.
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