Fernandes ‘right to call out’ Garnacho so the ‘kid’ isn’t ‘lost’ like ex-Man Utd sensation

Lewis Oldham
Man Utd star Fernandes

Bruno Fernandes has been told that he was “right to call out” Man Utd youngster Alejandro Garnacho after his great performance against Real Sociedad.

The 18-year-old made his senior debut for Man Utd last season and he has played a prominent role for his boyhood club in recent weeks.

He has been restricted to a single substitute appearance in the Premier League but he started in Europa League group games against FC Sheriff and Real Sociedad.

The youngster impressed against FC Sheriff and then earlier this week he raced onto a pass from Cristiano Ronaldo to score the winning goal in United’s 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad.

Garnacho has rightly been praised in the aftermath of this performance, but Fernandes chose to highlight how the teenager had “attitude” problems during pre-season.

“He was good but he knows we expect a lot from him,” Fernandes said post-match on Thursday night.

“Obviously he’s still really young, he’s doing really well.

“At the beginning of the season he was not at his best. In the [pre-season] tour he didn’t have the best attitude that he should have, and that’s why he didn’t get his chances until now.

“He’s getting his chances because he’s training better, he’s got a different attitude and he’s deserving his chances.”

Tony Cascarino has backed Fernandes as he does not want to Garnacho to go down a similar path to the one Ravel Morrison went on.

The Englishman showed a lot of promise as a youngster and Rio Ferdinand even thinks that he could have been a “£100m player”. 

But Morrison only ended up playing three times for United and he has failed to live up to expectations. He now plays under Wayne Rooney at MLS side DC United.

Cascarino thinks Morrison “lost his way” as he “didn’t take things on board” and “kids” like Garnacho “need to learn”.

“If you’re a bit wild and you think you’re entitled to a place in the team, you might be good enough, but you have to be told,” Cascarino said on talkSPORT.

“Ravel Morrison was one of the best youngsters I’ve ever seen, but he didn’t listen enough. He didn’t take things on board.

“I saw Ravel Morrison do things in games not many people can do, but he was a great Manchester United product who ended up losing his way.

“You can easily do that if you don’t listen… so was Fernandes right to call him out? Yeah!

“At that age, you can’t get ahead of yourself. Kids need to learn.

“I think there’s no problem calling Garnacho out, because if he listens and he matures and he keeps doing what he can do, he’s going to be one hell of a player. He’s got the lot.”

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