Manchester United have been accused of over-relying on Alejandro Garnacho following his rapid rise into Erik ten Hag’s first-team plans.
The Argentina youth international burst onto the scene at Old Trafford ahead of the World Cup with two goals and two assists in a run of five consecutive games, meaning he quickly became one of the most in-form stars at the club.
But Red Devils legend Patrice Evra has voiced his concerns over United becoming too reliant on Garnacho’s talents. The Frenchman believes the 18-year-old's regular inclusion in the starting XI highlights the lack of high-quality players in Ten Hag’s squad.
Evra told Betfair : “For Ten Hag, there's been a lot of pressure and a lot of pressure away from the pitch, like with the Cristiano Ronaldo case. Ten Hag has come to a new league and I'm quite happy. I don't expect any more for United.
“I keep saying it's like a rollercoaster, they will win four games in a row that you don't expect them to win and then they will lose a game. Last game, we won against Fulham and I felt we were too dependent on Garnacho, a young kid, and that's why I know United are not ready.
“If you are at a club like United or Juve, if it's kids that make the difference, that's when you know something is wrong, because in my time, you had 20 personalities and characters, then the young players would come and be a surprise, but not the saviour.”
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After Evra sounded the alarm, Garnacho was thrown into the starting line-up for United’s 2-0 victory over Burnley in the EFL Cup on Wednesday. The Red Devils advanced to the quarter-finals of the competition, with the 18-year-old playing 59 minutes.
Without Garnacho’s two assists from the bench in the previous round against Aston Villa, United may not have even made it that far, while his last-gasp winner against Fulham before the World Cup saw United climb to within three points of the Premier League ’s top four.
Ronaldo has left a big hole in United’s attack but Marcus Rashford has already racked up nine goals and three assists in 20 appearances this season to soften the blow as he proves to be Ten Hag’s most consistent asset.
However, summer signing Antony has failed to score or assist in his last nine games, Anthony Martial has managed just eight appearances all season and Jadon Sancho has been granted an extended spell away from the club to recapture his form.
Garnacho’s contract is set to run out in the summer of 2024 but he is expected to be handed a new bumper deal as United look to keep hold of one of their brightest prospects.
Although success with youth players is always admired, Evra reiterated that Garnacho cannot become too heavily relied upon. He added: “I love Garnacho but I don't want him to be the saviour, because if he is, it means something is not right.”
