Utd speak to Garnacho over social media activity

LONDON: Manchester United have spoken to Alejandro Garnacho ater the winger liked social media posts criticising manager Erik ten Hag over his handling of the player.

The Argentina international, taken off at half-time in their 2-2 draw at Bournemouth on Saturday, liked two messages on X, by United fan and Youtuber Mark Goldbridge.

One post accused Ten Hag of “throwing (Garnacho) under the bus” because of comments the United boss made about the 19-year-old’s performance.

The other said Garnacho “had a poor first half but taking him off at half time and holding him up as the problem is a joke”.

Garnacho swiftly “unliked” both messages, an action the club believes shows contrition, and a United source told the PA news agency the mater had been dealt with internally.

Asked ater the game why he replaced Garnacho at half-time, Ten Hag said: “I think we had to repair over that right side.

“We didn’t play well, the spaces were there in possession, we had to bring a sub there.”

Ten Hag also suggested Garnacho was not fully fit before being picked to start.

He said: “Garnacho was not training during the week, only yesterday [Friday]. “We thought to bring some energy, bring some more quality, quality in the sense of cooperation, togetherness over that right side.”

The teenager has become a key player for United this season, scoring nine goals and providing four assists in 42 games.

The incident follows one in September when Jadon Sancho said on X that he had been made a “scapegoat” ater being let out of the squad for the Arsenal match, with Ten Hag saying he had trained poorly.

Sancho said he would “not allow people saying things that (are) completely untrue”, interpreted as accusing Ten Hag of misrepresenting reasons why he was not in the side.

Unlike Garnacho, Sancho refused to back down and was ordered to train alone for four months.

The 24-year-old was banished from the first team. Later, he was allowed to join former club Borussia Dortmund on loan during the January transfer window ater accusing Ten Hag of lying about the reasons behind his omission from the squad for a game against Arsenal in September.