Erik ten Hag reckons the penny’s dropped with Alejandro Garnacho on what it takes to be a Manchester United superstar.
Liverpool arrive at Old Trafford boasting their own new breed of starlets who have grabbed the spotlight and are set to be Jurgen Klopp ’s legacy gift as he departs Anfield and English football.
But few youngsters in the global game possess the swaggering talent of teenage Argentinian winger Garnacho who has proved a beacon of hope in a dismal United campaign.
Garnacho’s bagged seven goals, provided three assists and been a potent attacking weapon in a breakthrough season that’s seen him play 37 games as a regular starter.
His stunning overhead kick at Everton in November may yet be goal of the season and he’s overtaken Marcus Rashford as United’s poster boy.
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But Garnacho needed the hard words of ten Hag and demanding skipper Bruno Fernandes to find the right road after early mistakes put him on a collision course with the United boss and senior stars.
A sloppy attitude allied to a solo mentality led to confrontations at the start of last season as Garnacho appeared on the first team radar.
Now, Ten Hag has acknowledged the South American star, nicked from Atletico Madrid’s academy in a bargain £420,000 deal in 2020, is maturing into the real deal.
“When you are young, it's normal. Football players have to become an adult very quickly," he said. "You have to take more responsibility and you have to learn how you do that.
Garnacho won a pair of penalties against Everton last time out (Getty Images)Who will win the FA Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford? Have your say below.
“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.”
Ten Hag has revealed United skipper Fernandes has helped Garnacho’s transition from precocious kid to a rising star with unlimited potential - and the youngster has won his captain’s trust.
“Yes, I think so, yes," he 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 but they have to take the responsibility and if they make that step then they are very valuable for a team to be winning.”
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Ten Hag believes returning midfielder Mason Mount has the class and quality to be a key part of United’s future.
The 25-year-old former Chelsea and England star has been dogged by injury since his £55 million summer move from Stamford Bridge.
But after a four-month lay-off recovering from a calf problem, Ten Hag is excited about Mount’s imminent return.
He said: “I’m convinced he’ll be a key player. He didn’t have the chance to prove this point. But he will be a very good player for United.
“It’s been really unfortunate and disappointing for him but also for us when you have such a class player in the middle and you can’t play him.
“I am sure that when he is fit and playing he will get into that rhythm, he will contribute to a successful Manchester United I’m sure.”
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