Erik ten Hag has revealed how captain Bruno Fernandes has aided Alejandro Garnacho’s development since breaking into the Manchester United first-team.
After bursting onto the scene with a number of eye-catching outings during the 2022/23 campaign, Garnacho has become a regular under Ten Hag in recent months, repaying the manager’s faith in him with seven goals and three assists in all competitions.
The Argentine’s most memorable goal contribution was his stunning overhead kick against Everton at Goodison Park back in November.
Speaking to the press ahead of Man Utd’s potentially season-defining FA Cup quarter-final clash with Liverpool at Old Trafford, Ten Hag was keen to stress the importance of Fernandes’ positive influence on Garnacho.
“For that development, you need a player like Bruno,” said Ten Hag. “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.”
Ten Hag was also keen to praise Garnacho’s maturity despite his tender age, insisting the wide player has grown up quickly in the first-team.
He added: “When you are young, it’s normal. Football players have to become an adult very quickly. 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.”
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