Former Manchester United defender Paul Parker believes Alejandro Garnacho will compete for the Ballon d'Or in the future after the Argentinian once again impressed on Wednesday.
Garnacho handed United a late lead in their FA Cup fifth round win over West Ham, killing a looping ball before curling a wonderful effort past Alphonse Areola. Fred would secure victory for the Reds in added-time to make it 3-1 and set up a quarter-final clash with Fulham.
The 18-year-old was United's most dangerous player all night and Erik ten Hag's decision to hook Antony instead of him in the second half spoke volumes. The majority of Garnacho's appearances - 17 of 27 in all competitions - have come from the bench, but an impact from the off at Old Trafford will have elevated the teenager's stature.
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“Garnacho is way better when he is being subbed on than when he is in the starting lineup,” Parker told MyBettingSites. “It seems like he doesn’t have the energy to play 90 minutes but he is a really talented player. I would even say Ballon d’Or potential but I don’t want to put too much pressure on a young lad like him. And he still has a lot to learn but he has a massive potential.
“I’m very pleased that he seems to sign a new contract now, which was the right decision for him. He shouldn’t be playing for Juventus or Real Madrid, that wouldn’t make any sense. The fact that he now signs a new contract will also make Erik ten Hag focus a bit more on his development. He has to work with his mentality because he is not disciplined enough on and outside the pitch.”
With United still in pursuit of an unprecedented quadruple and competing in the three competitions still available, depth will be as important as ever for Ten Hag. The Dutchman has had to rely heavily on Marcus Rashford down the left, with the forward's 25 goals more than three times anyone else in red.
Garnacho has registered four goals and four assists in his time on the pitch, but his average of 0.7 goal contributions per game is second only to Rashford, for Reds who have played more than 1,000 minutes this season.
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