Former Manchester United captain, Roy Keane, has raised questions about the reliability of Alejandro Garnacho as a starting player for the club. Despite his significant contribution off the bench in their recent 2-1 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Leicester City, Keane remains skeptical.
Garnacho was brought into play at the start of the second half on Friday night, taking over from debutant Patrick Dorgu. His speed and offensive prowess were instrumental in turning around a game that had initially seen Leicester take an early lead through Bobby De Cordova-Reid just before half-time.
Joshua Zirkzee managed to equalize for United in the second half before Harry Maguire scored a last-minute winner against his former club. However, despite this impressive performance by Garnacho, Keane expressed doubts about his consistency when starting matches. Speaking on ITV, Keane suggested that Garnacho currently seems more effective as a substitute than as part of the initial lineup.
Roy Keane, Former Manchester United captain, said:
“I think it suits him when he comes off the bench. I don’t think you can trust him when he starts,” the former Man United captain said.
“When he comes on and the game is stretched, that’s when he comes into his own. They put Leicester on the back foot and the subs made an impact. That’s what Garnacho does well.”
Transfer rumours and future plans
In January there were rumors linking Garnacho with potential moves away from United to clubs like Chelsea and Napoli. However, he chose to stay put at Old Trafford instead. Now he is focused on proving himself indispensable to Amorim’s plans for Manchester United's future success.
Keane's comments have sparked debate among fans and pundits alike regarding whether or not Alejandro should be given more opportunities to start games or if he is indeed better suited coming off the bench due to his ability to change games with fresh energy late into matches.
While it remains unclear whether Alejandro will become a regular starter under Amorim’s management or continue being used primarily as an impact substitute player; what is certain is that he has shown great potential and could play an important role in shaping Manchester United’s future. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how Garnacho's role evolves and whether Keane's doubts are proven right or wrong.
