NACHO’S SO TASTY
Still only 18, Argentine wonderkid puts World Cup heartbreak behind him to grab Reds’ late winner
IT was an incredible finish to a rollercoaster week for wonderkid Alejandro Garnacho.
Argentina starlet Garnacho missed out on the World Cup squad but then made his point with a 93rd-minute winner in true Manchester United fashion. Garnacho, 18, stepped off the bench to become United’s last-gasp saviour in a game they hardly deserved to win and could have easily lost.
The teenage forward was on Argentina’s long list but failed to make the cut despite his emergence at Old Trafford as a huge prospect.
He got two assists in midweek and then the late winner at Craven Cottage. Maybe we are witnessing the final days of one Old Trafford legend – Cristiano Ronaldo missed United’s last two games – and the emergence of a new superstar.
Garnacho looks full of pace, skill and ability, and is clearly enjoying his moment – after racing through to hit the winner, he raced over to the United fans, tore off his shirt and celebrated in front of the away end.
It will offer some much-needed hope to the Red Devils in their final game before the World Cup and brings Erik ten Hag’s team to within three points of the top four with a game in hand on Tottenham.
But no one should lose sight of the fact United were outplayed for long periods. Fulham were terrific and Ten Hag’s men looked flat and in danger of successive Premier League defeats.
But the never-say-die, fightuntil-the-end spirit is ingrained in the club’s DNA and in their youngsters who graduate from the academy.
Garnacho has a different background as he was born in Spain, now represents Argentina – through his mother – and was signed from Atletico Madrid’s youth set-up two years ago.
But, rather like Ivan Toney who scored twice at Manchester City after
being snubbed by England, the World Cup has played a role in some lovely stories this weekend. And after all, Argentina do have some pretty special strength in depth.
Christian Eriksen scored the opener and will complete one of the great comebacks of international football when he goes to the World Cup with Denmark after his miraculous neardeath escape at the Euros. It was
Fulham’s ex-Manchester United star Dan James, on loan from Leeds, who scored a much-deserved equaliser and he will now go off with Wales.
It is a different season and yet it feels all too familiar when United enjoy a smash-and-grab victory.
They deserved to go ahead after 14 minutes with a goal straight out of the Ten Hag ( far left) coaching manual. United’s Brazil midfielder Casemiro pressed and won the ball from Tom Cairney, Eriksen led the charge forward and then slid home to score from Bruno Fernandes’ low cross.
It was Fernandes’ 100th Premier League game and that made it 38 goals and 27 assists (65 goal involvements) – only Eric Cantona (84), Ruud van Nistelrooy (78) and Dwight Yorke (66) have more.
But this Fulham team is different under Marco Silva. They were superb in the way they fought back. Even though Anthony Martial missed two big chances and Eriksen a sitter, the Cottagers played some super stuff as Willian and Joao Palhinha dominated.
Carlos Vinicius and Tim Ream were denied by brilliant saves from David De Gea but you felt the Fulham goal was coming and it was written in the stars for James to score it.
He came off the bench after 59 minutes, two minutes later he scored. Fernandes raced to keep the ball in, only succeeded in giving it to Antonee Robinson, Willian drove forward and then Cairney put over a low cross which James converted.
It looked like there was only going to be one winner. But then Garnacho got the ball on the left, swapped passes with Eriksen, and raced through to steal victory.