Manchester United are going to have to deal with a number of issues – both on and off the pitch after recent developments.
Firstly, the Red Devils were dealt with another frustrating result, as Sevilla knocked them out of the Europa League with a 3-0 win in the second leg of the quarter-finals. This comes on the back of a disappointing draw at home, as the hosts threw away a two-goal lead from two comical own-goals late in the game to give a huge boost to the Spanish outfit.
Disastrous defending cost Manchester United yet another game
The second leg at Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium was no different, as United continued to hand Sevilla goals for fun. A mix-up between David de Gea and Harry Maguire allowed Sevilla to take an early lead. The goalkeeper produced two more blunders, leading to two further goals in the second half. In particular, his miskick for the third goal highlighted just how weak and senseless the Premier League side are at the back.
Things were no better going forward, with the likes of Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial dropping a disaster class and perhaps giving the defence of the 13th-placed La Liga outfit their most comfortable outing of the season. Marcus Rashford came off the bench in the second half but didn’t look as lively on his return from an injury.
The electric pace and dynamism of Alejandro Garnacho could’ve helped United cut-open Sevilla in the final third. But he’s also unavailable for the moment due to injury. This brings us to the off-the-pitch issue.
The Argentine talent, who was recently likened to Paris Saint-Germain main man Kylian Mbappe by Argentina legend Mario Kempes, has been named in the country’s preliminary squad for the Under-20 World Cup by coach Javier Mascherano.
However, according to TV journalist Gaston Edul (via GOAL), United are not ready to let the 18-year-old join the camp for the tournament, set to be held in Argentina from May 20.
Garnacho’s appearance in U-20 World Cup difficult
Edul said that it’s unlikely they will let him go but also added that the Argentine Federation and Mascherano will do everything possible for him to play.
Garnacho, who last featured for United against Southampton early in March, has been one of Ten Hag’s most important players, especially off the bench. United could’ve certainly used his qualities against Sevilla. Anyhow, they recognise the important role he could play next season.
For that, the club need to make sure he recovers well and is available for the pre-season ahead of the new campaign. But if Garnacho joins the Argentina squad, it might disrupt Ten Hag’s pre-season plans for the youngster. He has already missed eight games for United since his injury, which also stopped him from featuring for Argentina’s senior side during the March international break.
Recently, he shared a promising update by posting a pic on Instagram showing him “back with the boots” at Carrington. There’s no doubt about his immense potential, and both United and Argentina need to make sure they handle the player carefully.
