Man Utd manager Erik Ten Hag was full of praise for youngster Alejandro Garnacho after his side’s FA Cup win over West Ham but says the youngster still has more to prove when starting games.
Garnacho scored late on in the victory to put his side 2-1 up before Fred added a late third to set up an FA Cup quarter final clash with fellow Premier League side Fulham.
But while Ten Hag praised Garnacho for his impact when given an opportunity to start, the United boss says he has more to prove in order to nail down a regular spot in the starting 11.
“Today I saw another step,” Ten Hag said.
“I said to him before the game that it’s getting to the time where, you’ve had an impact when you come on, but now you have to have an impact as a starter.
“I think he’s capable of it, so that is the next step he has to make.”
Garnacho’s curling effort to beat West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola was his fourth goal of the season in all competitions having been thrust into the first team this season by Ten Hag.
Embed from Getty ImagesAnd the Man Utd boss believes his fearlesness and bravery in taking on players makes him a unique talent.
“It is definitely a great skill when you are fearless and when you are brave,” he explained.
“I think it’s a skill that is so specific that there are not so many players in world football who can take players on or who are capable of just going at players and out-playing or out-dribbling them. That skill, he has.
“But he also has more skills than only that. For example, finishing, but also I see that he has also a big engine. He is fast, has speed but can keep running for 90 minutes or 120 minutes, it doesn’t matter how long. He can keep doing it.”
