The scoreline does not tell the whole story as the hosts could have scored five or six on the night, while also could have conceded three.

Manager Erik ten Hag will be pleased with the intensity shown by his team after a lethargic display at the weekend which helped the side get all three points after all the pressure that had been heaped on him during the week by the British media.

An open, and entertaining contest, the game was ultimately decided by the United boss’ brave calls regarding team selection and with his impactful substitution.

ETH made the right selection calls

Forgoing the urge to keep playing Marcus Rashford who is currently looking like a shadow of the player that was top scorer last season, the manager was right to trust Antony on the right and play the in-form Alejandro Garnacho on the left, both of whom put in impressive displays.

The Brazilian has endured a tough time this season and he might not have contributed with a goal or assist, but he defended admirably when needed and was a constant menace while attacking.

He won a penalty which skipper Bruno Fernandes missed but he did not let his head drop after that and kept going, a sharp cry from what the boss saw from his forwards against Newcastle.

As for the Argentine, he was a constant thorn in the Blues’ side and he could have grabbed a couple of goals himself if not for some good saves from Robert Sanchez.

He keeps showing immense bravery and is not afraid to keep trying even when things are not coming off for him, a great trait to have as a winger.

The main difference between the duo on Wednesday and what Rashford and Anthony Martial produced on Saturday was the constant determination to keep pushing instead of blaming others and flailing their arms about.

Ten Hag’s substitutions have not always worked this season and they have often arrived too late but at half-time with the score reading 1-1, the manager would have been forgiven for not making too many changes considering the attacking display from his team.

Perfect sub to control the game even more

Instead, he opted to bring on Sergio Reguilon as left-back, thereby moving Luke Shaw to the heart of the defence and the move paid dividends.

The Spaniard might not be the best defensively, but he has boundless energy and loves to run forward and he ensured United kept attacking down the left in the second half.

The win means United are up to sixth and only three points behind defending champions Manchester City in fourth. A strange season indeed!

Up next are Bournemouth, who are in good form and the Reds will need to keep up the same level of intensity if they are to grab three points.

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Manchester United showed grit and determination up front to clinch a crucial 2-1 win over Chelsea at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

With 28 shots on goal compared to Chelsea’s 13, Man United showed a rare display of dominance on the attack, constantly bombarding the visitors’ defence throughout the 90 minutes.

While Scott McTominay came away with United’s two goals, it was another player who truly emerged as the home team’s star player on the night.

From kick-off until the final whistle, Alejandro Garnacho produced a high-energy performance, spurring the United attack.

The winger completed 31 of his 39 passes for a 79% accuracy while getting 68 touches on the ball in total.

The 19 year old attempted six crosses, completing one, while one of his two long balls reached its target.

While his passing accuracy may not have been at its peak, the Argentine showed plenty of attacking desire, making three key passes – the second-highest total of either team.

On the attack, Garnacho took eight shots.

Five were off target, while one was on target and two were blocked.

He also attempted five dribbles, completing just one.

Despite his struggles to find the target, Garnacho did prove effective as a playmaker.

In the 69th minute, the winger drilled a precise cross toward McTominay at the far post, who headed home United’s winning goal.

Statistics aside, Garnacho showed speed, energy, and desire that has often been lacking on the wings for United this season.

Ultimately, Garnacho’s assist and his energetic performance helped to catapult United to a much-needed three points.

(Stats via Sofascore)

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After the team’s calamitous loss at the hands of Newcastle last week, no doubt Erik ten Hag would have been keen to get maximum points and relieve some pressure that was mounting on him and his players.

The United boss started Andre Onana in goal.

In defence, Ten Hag gave the nod to Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw.

Sofyan Amrabat started as United’s deepest-lying midfielder, with Bruno Fernandes and Scott McTominay slightly ahead of him.

Rasmus Hojlund led the line with Antony and Alejandro Garnacho on the bench. There was no place in the starting XI for Marcus Rashford who was dropped to the bench.

Here are three things we learned from Manchester United’s 2-1 win against Chelsea.

Questions remain about McTominay’s continued selection despite his goals

United took the lead in the 20th minute courtesy of McTominay, who found himself at the right place inside the Chelsea box to fire the ball into the back of the net, past the reach of a diving Robert Sanchez.

McTominay grabbed a second goal of the game in the second half to complete his brace when he headed in from a superb Garnacho cross.

However, beyond the goals, it could be argued the Scotland international did not offer much else, especially out of possession.

In truth, that has become the norm when McTominay is on the pitch – somehow manage to score but then disappear and contribute very little both on the ball and off it. It just so happens that against Chelsea, he clinched two goals that were enough to win the game.

Far too often, Chelsea managed to easily cut through United’s midfield and were it not for the fact they lack quality up front, the Blues could have hurt United much more.

Indeed, Chelsea’s equalizing goal after McTominay’s opener came from Mauricio Pochettino’s men moving up the pitch into United territory almost unopposed before Cole Palmer beat Onana with a cheeky finish.

It’s highly likely that if Chelsea had more quality up front, the Red Devils would have been made to pay more dearly for just how open they were in the middle of the park.

On more than one occasion, Fernandes and McTominay bombed forward in search of goalscoring opportunities and left huge tracts of space behind them.

At times, Amrabat found himself isolated and with multiple rival players to cover alone.

United have found it very difficult to control games and assert dominance due to the imbalance in midfield. A section of fans have questioned whether McTominay’s goals justify the chaos his continued inclusion in the team brings.

Going forward, United might be better served by prioritizing midfielders that bring balance or properly structuring the team to accommodate McTominay in a way that does not leave the side open and susceptible to conceding easy chances. It’s clear Ten Hag values his goals, especially during a season in which the forwards are not really firing.

Slightly improved performance by Antony

Against Galatasaray, Antony was praised for producing one of his best performances since joining United.

He didn’t get the opportunity to build up on the positive display in Istanbul when United lost at St James’ Park just days later.

However, Ten Hag put faith in him vs. Chelsea and the Brazilian was good.

He won a penalty in the early stages of the match but it ultimately didn’t count for much as Fernandes missed from the spot-kick.

The 23-year-old was a constant pain in the backside for Levi Colwill and Thiago Silva all game. Antony’s passing was crisp and he was probably one of the few players from either team who seemed calm and composed enough to deliver the ball to its intended target.

The United forward had a few sights of goal and should have perhaps got on the score sheet in the second half when his left-foot shot flew just inches wide of Sanchez’s goal.

Antony also got United high up the pitch well and won some crucial fouls.

More significant is that he executed his defensive responsibilities well and helped out Dalot when required to do so.

Against Newcastle, Rashford came under intense criticism for a perceived lack of effort and disinterest in helping out defensively – certainly, no one can make such an accusation against Antony who did well vs. Chelsea.

He wasn’t as dangerous and threatening as Garnacho was, but Antony earned himself some plaudits.

Hopefully, Antony carries on in the same vein and starts showing why Ten Hag sanctioned a big-money move for him in the summer of 2022.

Reguilon’s introduction helped United get over the line

During the interval, Ten Hag took off an uninspiring Lindelof and replaced the Swede with Sergio Reguilon.

This meant that Shaw was moved to slot right next to Maguire at the heart of the United backline.

Reguilon was an extremely positive change.

Beyond the energy he injected, the Spaniard helped out a lot going forward. He participated in attacking phases much more than the reserved Lindelof.

Reguilon also combined well with Garnacho, and most of United’s chances came down their side.

The two put in some nice crosses. Regulion also constantly overlapped to either create space for Garnacho or drag the full-back wider to create gaps.

With Tyrell Malacia out, Ten Hag will be pleased that he can count on Reguilon to contribute when called up.

The post Three things we learned as Scott McTominay’s sensational brace secures 2-1 win for Man United vs. Chelsea appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

United are set to host Chelsea at Old Trafford later this evening in a crucial Premier League clash.

Erik ten Hag will undoubtedly be keen to get the Red Devils back to winning ways following their defeat at the hands of Newcastle last week after a dismal display at St James’ Park.

Rashford was especially poor in attack and when taken off, the Englishman was visibly frustrated and could be seen sharing words with Sergio Reguilon on the United bench.

Garnacho was equally unimpactful.

However, ahead of the match at the Theatre of Dreams, Pochettino was quick to point out the threat posed by the two Carrington academy graduates.

The Argentine coach said, “They have very good players. They have pace with their offensive players and so we cannot allow them to transition.”

“We need to be careful in the way we finish and lose the ball, I think we need to be clever because they have pace through Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho who can transition really fast. We need to try to dominate and put pressure by playing in their half and I think that will be the challenge for us.”

The last time Pochettino faced Ten Hag in the dugout was when Tottenham Hotspur met Ajax in the semi-final of the 2019 Champions League.

The Chelsea managed explained that he’s looking forward to coming up against Ten Hag once more.

“I think everyone was talking about him and Ajax so for me he’s a fantastic coach and a great manager. I think it will be good to see him after four years because we have not had the pleasure to play him since the semi-final. Now we have the possibility to see him again.”

The game is set to kick off at 20:15 BST

The post Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino warns his side about dangerous Manchester United duo appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Unknown to many, Garnacho started out at Getafe’s academy where he impressed and earned himself a move to Atletico Madrid’s youth set-up.

It’s from Atletico Madrid that United swooped in for the Argentine in October 2020 for just £420,000.

Garnacho signed his first professional contract with the club in July 2021. From there, he has been on a rapid rise, culminating in his current status today.

At the moment, he is almost certainly a guaranteed starter under Erik ten Hag. Garnacho recently made headlines globally after scoring a stunning bicycle kick during United’s 3-0 win against Everton at Goodison Park.

The 18-year-old found the back of the net just days later against Galatasaray in the Champions League. During a season in which United’s forwards have struggled to score goals, Garnacho has come into the team and provided some relief to Ten Hag.

Marca spoke to Antonio Mellado, who managed Garnacho during the 2014-15 season while he was at Getafe.

Mellado pointed out, “I was lucky enough to coincide with Garnacho when I was nine or ten years old at Alevín as a first year in the 14/15. From a very young age you already saw him as a different player.”

“He had physical, technical and mental characteristics that made his difference with the others clear. Having Garnacho is having one of those players that you always want to have on your team and that you do not want to face as a rival due to his super-competitive nature.”

Mellado continued, “He had unstoppable power and quality in his driving. I seem to remember that he scored thirteen goals in a category in where all the teams were second-year juniors except us and Real Madrid.”

“At those ages, no matter how good you are, it is very difficult to know if one can reach that high. Conditions were seen, but it was difficult to predict.”

He went on to narrate just how committed Garnacho was, that he frequently turned up for training even when sick or suffering from the flu.

Mellado stated that no one at Getafe can remember the current United star ever missing a day of training.

The post “Unstoppable power and quality”: Alejandro Garnacho’s ex-coach opens up on Man United star’s early days appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

However, the only reason why Erik ten Hag’s job is not under the scanner is the run that preceded that loss in November.

The team won three games out of three without conceding a goal and one player in particular stood out massively.

Alejandro Garnacho has won United’s Player of the Month for November after his sparkling attacking contributions against Fulham, Luton, and Everton.

Of course, the highlight of the month was his audacious bicycle kick against Everton in the early minutes of the game which is sure to win the Goal of the Month.

Even besides that, November will be remembered as the month when Garnacho finally established himself as a starter-calibre player.

The Argentine had gained somewhat of an impact sub reputation and looked underwhelming when starting games but that all changed in November.

He was United’s key attacking threat in pretty much every game, with the team using his threat in behind to force the opposition backwards.

Garnacho has also started using his weaker left foot a lot more recently which has added another dimension to his game and made him difficult to defend against.

He signed a new contract last year and unlike Marcus Rashford, whose form has fallen off the cliff after signing a new contract, has taken his game to another level.

In the absence of other options like Antony, Sancho, and Amad, he is arguably the first name on the teamsheet now.

Fans will be hoping that this run is not a false dawn and is just the start of a player with world-class potential realising his limitless ceiling and taking the first steps towards it.

The post Alejandro Garnacho wins Manchester United’s Player of the Month for November appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Erik ten Hag, the Manchester United manager, has recently commented on how important bringing through young players is to the culture of the club. There is no doubt in the Dutchman’s mind who should be credited for this.

The manager praised Darren Fletcher’s role in helping to bring through the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.

According to TNT Sports (via Eurosport), the Dutchman believes that using academy products like Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo makes up a huge part of the “DNA” of Manchester United and helps give the club an “identity”.

Both teenagers have impressed recently. The Argentinian forward has scored two goals in his last two games, while the young Englishman put in an incredibly mature performance versus Everton and also made an assured contribution off the bench in Istanbul.

When the United manager was asked about bringing players thorough from the academy he claimed, “I think it’s in the DNA of Manchester United; the Busby Babes, the Class of ’92”.

The Peoples Person recently reported on the fact that the club seem to be returning to this mantra as the squad last Sunday contained three of 2022 Youth Cup winning side.

The former Twente player mentioned that “developing players into the first team should be one key area of Manchester United because this club is very successful with it”.

The former Ajax coach should know what he is talking about, as the Dutch giants, like United, are another club that prides itself on bringing through young players of the highest quality.

Ten Hag went on to say another advantage of bringing through young players is that they will have a strong connection with the team and also with the fans. For example, other academy players on display at Everton last weekend were Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay. Despite a poor start to the season this time around, Rashford was voted the club’s player of the season last season.

Furthermore, McTominay was recently voted the club’s player of the month for October after an extended run in the side that saw him score some goals, crucially a late double to defeat Brentford at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag was critical of the youth setup when he arrived and described it as “isolated” from the first team. The Dutch coach lauded the work of technical director, Darren Fletcher, who has been seen as an important reason why the relationship between the youth and first team has improved of late.

The Man United manager stated, “we improved the connection. Darren Fletcher plays an important role with that, his connection with the Under-21s and academy. That connection is much better than before”.

Finally, the coach claimed that everyone is now beginning to see the fruit of his and the club’s labour as young players are often involved in first-team training, after getting their foundation in the academy and working “day by day with good strategies” put in place to ease development of the players.

Yesterday, The Peoples Person reported that Fletcher’s own son, Jack, at only 16, has massively impressed the manager and was given the opportunity to train with the senior team before their recent Champions League game against Galatasaray.

Giving young players a chance and watching them grow into a first team is something most United fans take great pride in. With an uncertain takeover future and a massive uphill task to be competitive this season, maybe giving youth a chance is a path to a happier future for fans of the club.

The post Erik ten Hag claims Darren Fletcher has played key role in Manchester United’s recent youth success appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

After a disastrous start to the season, this run brought United back to life in the race for Champions League spots.

Consequently, United’s prints are all over the top Premier League awards for the month of November.

While Erik ten Hag has been nominated for the Manager of the Month, two huge architects of United’s resurgence on the pitch are up for Player of the Month and Goal of the Month.

Harry Maguire’s resurgence has coincided with United’s and he has been rightly nominated for the Player of the Month award.

Alejandro Garnacho is the overwhelming favourite for the Goal of the Month award for his acrobatic bicycle kick against Everton.

On the Player of the Month front, Maguire faces some tough competition, particularly against Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku, who exploded to life in November.

https://twitter.com/EASPORTSFC/status/1730179908083540404?s=20

Alongside those two are Raheem Sterling, Anthony Gordon, Marcus Tavernier, and Luton’s Thomas Kaminski.

Defenders face a tough fight for the award anyway as their raw stats don’t immediately jump out like they do for attackers.

Still, for Maguire, this is a huge mark of acceptance that he is well and truly reaching his previous reliable levels after a tough few years in the game.

The fight for the Goal of the Month is less intense and is almost a procession. Out of eight strikes, Garnacho’s effort stands head a shoulders above any other.

Barring something truly miraculous or remarkable happening in the rest of the season, his bicycle kick is likely to win the Goal of the Season award as well.

It would put a big exclamation point on the Argentine’s rise to now being an established first-team player, and rightly so.

The post Harry Maguire and Alejandro Garnacho up for major Premier League honors in November appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Heading into the game, United were bottom of Group A, with just three points after four matches. The team needed to win in order to give itself the best possible chance of advancing to the next round of the competition.

Erik ten Hag made four changes from the starting XI against Everton on Sunday.

Andre Onana started in goal with a defensive four of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw ahead of the shot-stopper.

Sofyan Amrabat started as United’s deepest-lying midfielder in a trio also consisting of Scott McTominay and Bruno Fernandes.

Rasmus Hojlund led the line with Alejandro Garnacho and Antony on either side of him. Here are four things we learned from Manchester United’s 3-3 draw against Galatasaray.

Amrabat simply not the answer

There was a lot of speculation with regard to whether Kobbie Mainoo would start against Galatasaray.

The young midfielder was sensational at Goodison Park on Sunday and earned himself a lot of plaudits for his calm, composed and impressive performance in the middle of the park.

United legend Rio Ferdinand recently suggested that going forward, it’s imperative that Mainoo keep his place in the team ahead of Amrabat.

However, Ten Hag decided to give the nod to Amrabat ahead of Mainoo, but the decision did not really bear much fruit.

Amrabat was uninspiring and simply did not do anything impactful. He did not put his mark on the game and the result was that rival players easily cut through United’s midfield.

The Moroccan was not helped by McTominay, who has seemingly developed a habit of becoming anonymous and barely noticeable during games.

Amrabat at times seemed lost like a deer in headlights. Compare the Fiorentina loanee’s display to Mainoo’s at Goodison and it’s pretty obvious who deserves a guaranteed starting berth going forward.

The 27-year-old struggled to control proceedings or even offer the kind of defensive solidity usually provided by the no-nonsense Casemiro.

Amrabat was taken off just before the hour mark and Mainoo was brought in to replace him. Hardly anyone would have argued against the change.

His loan spell has so far been underwhelming and it’s easy to see why there is already talk of United looking beyond him and signing another number six.

Amrabat is not the answer and this was clearly evident against Okan Buruk’s men.

Garnacho steadily growing into his role as a regular starter

United got off to a fairytale start in the first half. Fresh off his stunning bicycle kick just a few days ago and with Marcus Rashford suspended, Garnacho’s inclusion on the team sheet was almost certain – the Argentine did not disappoint.

He shed first blood when he opened the scoring.

Garnacho got on the end of a pass inside the box from Fernandes. Many would have predicted that he would try to shift the ball onto his right foot but impressively, he chose to strike it with his left.

The 18-year-old fired the ball into the roof of the net and gave Fernando Muslera no chance of keeping the effort out.

United would go on to add a second of the match through Fernandes but Galatasaray pulled one back through Hakim Ziyech.

The Red Devils went into the break a goal up. They came out firing and performed much better by way of how they ensured the game was played at their preferred tempo.

United got their reward in the 55th minute when McTominay grabbed a third goal. Ziyech however got his brace just seven minutes later to still keep his side in the game. Galatasaray eventually managed to clinch an equalizer through Muhammed Kerem Akturkoglu.

Garnacho was a threat all game and was a constant headache for Sacha Boey. He in fact got the Galatasaray full-back booked.

Defensively, Garnacho was top-notch. Whenever required to track back and contribute to keeping the ball out of Onana’s net, the Carrington academy graduate diligently executed his responsibilities.

He also put in one or two good crosses for Hojlund. The biggest compliment that can be paid to Garnacho and his brilliance is that everything United did attacking-wise came from his flank. If United were to hurt Galatasaray, it would likely come through Garnacho.

In recent games, Garnacho has started on the left with Rashford required to ply his trade on the right. Whenever given the chance, he has come up with the goods.

It was a bit puzzling that the Argentina international, who was United’s main source of threat, was taken off when United were searching for a fourth goal that could have been the winner.

His replacement, Facundo Pellistri had multiple clear-cut chances to score but could not make one stick.

If there were any doubts regarding whether Garnacho could make the jump from being an impact substitute to a starter, those concerns are slowly being abated.

The hope is that he can continue growing in confidence and stature and really show what he can do in a United shirt. He definitely has the talent and potential.

Onana howlers

Most of United’s good work was undone by huge blunders from goalkeeper Andre Onana.

For Ziyech’s first goal, Onana was caught flat-footed from the free-kick effort. He initially moved in the wrong direction and when he realised the ball was moving to the other side, could not react first enough to stop it.

Ziyech’s second goal was also from a free-kick but this time, Onana got a weak hand to it, only to mishandle the ball and send it to the back of his own net.

There’s not much the United goalkeeper could do about Galatasaray’s third and equalising goal.

As a result of his two costly mistakes at Rams Park, Onana is now the goalkeeper who has made the most errors leading to opposition goals in the Champions League since 2018/19, with seven.

Most errors leading to opposition goals by goalkeepers in the UEFA Champions League since 2018-19:

7 – André Onana (44 apps)
6 –
5 –
4 –
3 – Manuel Neuer (41 apps), Gerónimo Rulli (12 apps) pic.twitter.com/oUeSYP1cS9

— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) November 29, 2023

He has had many high-profile howlers this term and the pressure is now back on the Cameroonian due to his awful performance vs. Galatasaray.

United’s Champions League hopes almost certainly over now

Due to the draw, United’s hopes of advancing to the knockout stages of the Champions League are almost over now.

Ten Hag’s players will have to beat Bayern Munich at Old Trafford and hope that results elsewhere go their way.

United were two goals up twice and there will certainly be disappointment at how the game eventually panned out.

The post Four things we learned from Manchester United’s enthralling 3-3 draw vs. Galatasaray appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

It has been reported that Argentinian legend, Lionel Messi, has unfollowed Alejandro Garnacho due to the youngster’s preference for Cristiano Ronaldo.

This is according to the pundit and former Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand.

The former England international claims that Garnacho has told him that “Lionel Messi unfollowed him on Instagram because the Manchester United forward openly prefers Cristiano Ronaldo”.

The young Argentinian forward was trending on Sunday and well into Monday for his outrageous overhead kick goal versus Everton at the weekend.

The youngster is only 19 years old but has already been lucky enough to play with two of the best players in the history of the game. Garnacho broke into the first team at the start of the 2022/2023 season when a certain Cristiano Ronaldo was already at the club. There was even a sweet moment when after scoring his first goal for Manchester United against Real Sociedad, from a Ronaldo assist no less, the youngster clearly asks Ronaldo if he can copy his celebration.

Garnacho has copied many of Cristiano’s most famous celebrations and even performed the iconic siuuu run and jump which is globally famous by this point.

If that wasn’t enough, the Argentine forward has been called up to his senior national team and trained alongside the mythical Messi.

However, like so many of his generation, people seem to fall into two camps, either Ronaldo or Messi. Surprisingly, the Argentinian clearly prefers Ronaldo. Anyone with eyes can see that. Although maybe it is not too surprising, considering Garnacho was born in Madrid and lived there his whole life before being whisked away to Old Trafford from Atletico Madrid’s academy.

The young winger has stated many times that Ronaldo is his idol and even the boots he scored the wonder goal with are Nike’s Ronaldo-inspired Vapor 15 Mercurial Dream.

The twitter controversy apparently dates back to April 2022 when Messi did not take too kindly to Garnacho posting a tweet about Ronaldo being the greatest of all time.

It came just three weeks after Garnacho posted an image of himself alongside Messi, referring to the Argentina captain as an “idol”. To this day, the World Cup winner still does not follow Garnacho on Instagram despite the Manchester United star following him.

Seemingly caught in the middle of two all-time greats, it is unlikely Alejandro Garnacho will mind too much as long as he curries the favour of his idol, Cristiano. All fans of the Red Devils care about is he continues to play like he did at the weekend.

If he even scores a third of the career goals either of the legendary players have done, he can be delighted with how his career panned out.

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