“I can’t bench him for you no matter how bad or awful he plays, he will always start all matches for Manchester United except when he’s injured”- Manchester United manager Erig Ten Hag says he has an untouchable player he can never sub off after snubbing a player who was already on the touch line against Bournemouth
Erik ten Hag discussed Alejandro Garnacho’s social media activities with the Manchester United player directly.
Garnacho liked two tweets from a YouTuber who questioned his half-time substitution in the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Saturday.
A United representative said that the incident was handled internally but would to say if Garnacho had been formally penalized. United underlined that Garnacho quickly unliked the tweets.
Garnacho has been replaced in United’s last four games, after playing the whole two hours in the dramatic FA Cup quarter-final win against Liverpool on March 17.
The Manchester Evening News questioned Ten Hag whether Garnacho’s decision to retire against Bournemouth was tactical. “I believe we had to fix on the right side,” Ten Hag stated. “We didn’t play brilliantly, but the gaps were there. In possession, we had to bring a substitute.
“During the week, Garnacho did not train. Just yesterday. We believed we might offer more vitality and greater quality, quality in the sense of collaboration and unity on the right side.”
Garnacho began his 30th consecutive United game at the Vitality Stadium, and the 19-year-old is a frontrunner for the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year title.
Ten Hag is sure to be questioned about Garnacho’s breach during his pre-match news conference for the FA Cup semi-final against Coventry later this week.
