‘Good direction’ – Ten Hag sends warning to Liverpool about young prospect

Erik ten Hag believes the penny has dropped with Alejandro Garnacho on what it takes to be a Manchester United star.

It may be early days yet, but Garnacho is continuing to show clear signs that he is a special talent.

The young forward has been a silver lining in a difficult campaign for the Reds, along with fellow academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo, and Liverpool come to Old Trafford for an FA Cup quarter-final tie this weekend.

Garnacho has seven goals to his name this season, as well as three assists. He will be aiming to add to that tally this afternoon for the biggest tie of the round.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Ten Hag gave a strong impression that he is happy with Garnacho’s progress and thinks he is maturing into the real deal.

“When you are young, it’s normal. Football players have to become an adult very quickly,” Ten Hag said, as quoted by The Mirror. “You have to take more responsibility and you have to learn how you do that.

“That’s a process. Now Alejandro is in a good way, he’s going in a very good direction. And he knows now what it takes and why it is necessary, why you need that standard to play in a team and to be at a good level.

“You achieve the right levels, you keep the focus, and know that it’s not only about you but about the team and it’s about what you have to contribute to the team.”

The manager added that club captain, Bruno Fernandes, has helped Garnacho as a rising star with unlimited potential.

Ten Hag added: “And for that development, you need a player like Bruno. They also need a certain freedom but with that belongs a certain responsibility. You can never separate this because at the end of the day it’s about winning football games.

“To win you need reliable players and especially the creative ones. So you have to give them the freedom btu they have to take the responsibility and if they make that step then they are very valuable for a team to be winning.”

Garnacho is expected to feature in the starting XI that faces Liverpool at 3:30pm this evening.

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