Alejandro Garnacho’s Struggles at Man Utd: Goal Drought & Attitude Concerns Raise Questions About His Future
Analysis | Manchester United | A. Garnacho | Europa League | Premier League
Once seen as a rising star destined for greatness, Alejandro Garnacho’s progress at Manchester United now appears to be stalling.
When the Red Devils last faced Real Sociedad away in November 2022, it was a memorable moment for the young Argentine. With his family traveling from Madrid to San Sebastian to witness the occasion, Garnacho earned just his second competitive start. Playing alongside his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, in United’s final Europa League group-stage match, the moment felt like the start of something special. However, a three-month goal drought and reported attitude concerns now cast doubt on his long-term future at Old Trafford.
That magical night became even more unforgettable when Ronaldo delivered a perfect through ball, allowing the then-18-year-old Garnacho to sprint onto it and fire a powerful shot into the roof of the net—his first senior goal. Overcome with joy, his father, Alex, was brought to tears in the stands.
That goal marked the beginning of an electrifying period for Garnacho, as he played a key role in United’s comeback win over Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup and later netted a dramatic last-minute winner against Fulham.
Fast-forward two and a half years, and Garnacho, along with Manchester United, is set to return to San Sebastian to face Real Sociedad in the Europa League—ironically, right after another game against Fulham. But this time, the circumstances for both player and club could not be more different.
Garnacho seemed destined to be Manchester United’s next superstar after his impressive breakthrough season, and he built on that momentum last year. His stunning bicycle kick against Everton and crucial opener in the FA Cup final win over Manchester City were among the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing campaign for the club.
However, United’s struggles have only deepened this season, and rather than maintaining his upward trajectory, Garnacho hasn’t just stagnated—he has regressed.
Goal Drought
Alejandro Garnacho has gone without a goal for Manchester United since scoring against Bodo/Glimt on November 28, marking his longest goal drought since breaking into the senior team. This dry spell has lasted even longer than his previous absence due to an ankle injury during his debut season. Despite starting three times as many games this season and having two extra years of experience, his tally of three league goals matches the total from his breakout campaign.
What’s particularly puzzling about Garnacho’s situation is that he’s still a constant threat on the field. United are noticeably more dynamic when he’s involved, as seen in the recent FA Cup match against Fulham. Until Garnacho entered the game in the second half, Ruben Amorim’s side had struggled in attack.
It was Garnacho who delivered the through ball that led to Diogo Dalot assisting Bruno Fernandes’ equalizer, and he registered four shots on goal—more than anyone else on the pitch. Two of those attempts were classified as ‘big chances’—opportunities the confident Garnacho of previous seasons would have likely converted. Notably, though, he did not step up to take a penalty in the shootout.
These missed chances fit a worrying trend: Garnacho seems to have lost his edge in front of goal. His conversion rate is the lowest of any Premier League player who has had 10 or more ‘big chances.’ Since Amorim’s tenure began in November, Garnacho has taken more shots without scoring than any other player in the league. His missed opportunities—such as the glaring miss against Tottenham and a poor finish against West Ham that rattled the bar—highlight the extent of his current struggles.
Struggling to Create Chances
Garnacho is also far from being a creator of chances, ranked eighth in the Premier League for ‘big chances’ missed with 12 squandered opportunities. He shares this unenviable position with Cole Palmer and Raul Jimenez, sitting behind players like Ollie Watkins, Erling Haaland, Kai Havertz, and Mohamed Salah. However, most of the players on this list miss so many chances because they score regularly. Garnacho, in contrast, has the joint-fewest goals among them, with just three, tied with Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Palmer, who was once on a similar trajectory to Garnacho, has netted 14 goals, while Jimenez has scored nine.
To make matters worse, Garnacho isn’t compensating for his goal drought with assists. He has just six assists across all competitions, with only one in the Premier League. To put that into perspective, that’s one-third of the assists provided by Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson.
Garnacho can’t blame his teammates’ finishing for his low assist numbers either, as he has only created three ‘big chances’ himself—equally as few as Casemiro and Christian Eriksen. This is particularly concerning given that Eriksen has started just seven league games this season, with his last start coming in late December against Newcastle, and Casemiro has featured in only five league games since Amorim took over.
Loved by Fans
Alejandro Garnacho remains a captivating figure at Manchester United. With immense potential and the promise of a bright future, it’s important to remember that he’s still only 20 years old. This is why many United fans were concerned about the possibility of him leaving in the January transfer window, especially as Chelsea emerged as a likely destination.
Garnacho’s journey is also deeply rooted in the club’s identity. He came through the academy—despite joining at 16 from Atletico Madrid—and was the star of the 2022 FA Youth Cup-winning team, further solidifying his bond with fans. In many ways, he embodies the spirit of Manchester United: a player who excites the crowd and gets them off their seats. Even when he misses chances, Garnacho maintains his determination, always looking to make an impact. Fans appreciate that resilience. However, his relationship with coaches has been more complicated.
A Headache for Managers
Erik ten Hag played a key role in Garnacho’s rise to prominence at Manchester United, guiding the young forward’s development alongside emerging talents like Kobbie Mainoo. This was seen as one of the Dutchman’s greatest achievements during his time at Old Trafford. However, managing Garnacho came with its own set of challenges, given the player’s fiery temperament.
One of the first major issues came during the team’s pre-season tour in Thailand in 2022 when Garnacho was late for breakfast. Ten Hag responded by benching him for the remainder of the tour. Garnacho also found himself part of a group of players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, who left a pre-season match against Rayo Vallecano before it finished.
Despite these setbacks, Garnacho earned Ten Hag’s trust and became one of the team’s standout performers. Yet, his disciplinary issues didn’t stop there. He made headlines by liking critical posts about Ten Hag’s management on social media, and he even risked a potential ban from the Football Association for a controversial post about goalkeeper Andre Onana, though he ultimately avoided punishment.
Their relationship, at times, resembled that of a father and son—marked by moments of tension but also clear mutual respect. When Ten Hag was dismissed, Garnacho expressed his gratitude in a heartfelt Instagram message: “Thank you for everything, boss. I will always be grateful to you for giving me the opportunity and the confidence to play for this club. It hasn’t gone as well as we wanted, but I will remember the good times we had together and I wish you all the best in the future.”
The Rashford Connection
Under Ruben Amorim, Garnacho has faced a more critical approach. The coach made headlines when he dropped the forward from the squad for the Manchester Derby in December, citing issues with Garnacho’s attitude in training. While Garnacho’s exclusion was overshadowed by Marcus Rashford’s absence that day, it quickly faded as the Argentine was reintegrated into the team, while Rashford never played again before being loaned to Aston Villa.
Garnacho played a key role in two of Amorim’s most significant results as manager, assisting Amad Diallo in the draw at Liverpool and setting up Bruno Fernandes’ goal in the FA Cup third-round penalty win at Arsenal. However, Amorim continued to push for more from him, particularly asking him to adapt to a new role as a narrow winger in a 3-4-3 formation. Amorim noted progress and suggested their relationship was improving. But tensions resurfaced when Garnacho stormed off down the tunnel after being substituted during the Ipswich Town match, following Patrick Dorgu’s red card.
When a journalist asked Amorim about Garnacho’s reaction in a press conference, the coach curiously responded, wondering if the reporter was “making the connection with Rashford.” This remark was telling, as it suggested there may still be unresolved issues between Garnacho and his coach. The situation was smoothed over when Garnacho offered to take the team out for dinner, but it remains to be seen when the next standoff will arise.
Need Each Other
Ultimately, the success of both Garnacho and Amorim hinges on their ability to forge a strong working relationship, as both find themselves in challenging positions and need each other to succeed. Amorim is managing Manchester United during their worst season since 1974, with the Europa League being his last chance to salvage something from this dismal campaign.
For Garnacho, he remains one of United’s most valuable attacking assets, second only to Bruno Fernandes. With Amad sidelined for the rest of the season, and Antony and Rashford loaned out to Real Betis and Aston Villa respectively, Garnacho is now the team’s primary wide player. The success of the Brazil and England internationals away from Old Trafford raises concerns about Amorim’s man-management skills, and he can ill afford to waste Garnacho’s potential.
For Garnacho, the time is running out to prove his worth. United made it clear they were open to selling him in January, though no serious offers came through, despite Napoli’s interest as they sought a replacement for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The lack of concrete bids highlighted the doubts still surrounding Garnacho, particularly about his attitude and ability to deliver consistently, despite his evident talent.
Now more than ever, Garnacho must dispel these concerns, and what better place to start than back in his homeland, at the stadium where he realized his dream and scored his first professional goal?