Alejandro Garnacho’s switch to the right wing by Erik ten Hag has been beneficial for Man United, but it may necessitate another acquisition.
The way Manchester United’s attackers have stepped up has been one of the most satisfying aspects of their recent winning streak.
Rasmus Hojlund scored his first goal in Sunday’s 2-1 victory at Villa Park, making it his fifth goal in as many Premier League games and his sixth goal overall in seven outings. He had a sluggish beginning to life in England, but he is now beginning to show why United selected him as their Harry Kane backup.
Hojlund’s purple patch has been largely attributed to his consistency. Erik ten Hag finally decided on his ideal front three after experimenting for several months.
Hojlund is aware of his position with Alejandro Garnacho on the right and Marcus Rashford on the left. Between the two of them, he has started all four of the recent league games.
The front three has shown that they are aware of each other’s strengths and have been able to build off one another. With every member of it stealing two or more Premier League goals in the last four games, it also poses a real goal danger.
Few would have predicted at the start of the season that Rashford and Garnacho would be in the same starting lineup, unless the latter was used in a central role. Naturally, because Hojlund arrived from Atalanta with an injury, Rashford started United’s first two league games through the middle.
But Rashford has consistently defended the claim that he is best suited for the left wing, which has been made often. It begged the question of how Garnacho would be able to consistently get opportunities.
Ten Hag hasn’t looked back since he experimented on Boxing Day by starting Garnacho on the right against Villa. Garnacho has been able to find a higher gear as a result of the tactical change, both in terms of goals and overall performance.
In the last several weeks, he has scored four goals from that side of the field, including braces against Villa and West Ham United. He also made an appearance at Nottingham Forest, providing a right flank assist. He appears more put together and polished as a winger.
However, Rashford has continually refuted the frequently asserted assertion that he is most suited on the left wing. It raised the question of how Garnacho would have opportunities on a regular basis.
Since he took a chance on Boxing Day against Villa by starting Garnacho on the right, Ten Hag hasn’t looked back. The tactical adjustment has allowed Garnacho to reach a higher gear in terms of performance overall and goals scored.
He has scored four goals from that side of the pitch in the last several weeks, including braces against Villa and West Ham United. He also played at Nottingham Forest, where he assisted on the right wing. He seems more polished and put together.
This implies that United could need to sign a backup left winger this summer. In recent days, they have been said to have shown interest in Pedro Neto of Wolves. Neto has had a strong season thus far in the Black Country, and his stock has increased.
But because United couldn’t guarantee the Portuguese star a starting spot every week, he isn’t definitely a man they could look to as a realistic option. Nevertheless, the Reds ought to target a player with Neto’s profile instead, as he is a versatile player who can operate both wide and through the middle.
With the acquisition of players that are at ease playing out wide or centrally, such as Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, and Cody Gakpo, Liverpool has recently become masters of that craft. Arsenal has also made purchases in this market, as seen by players with multi-positional ability like Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard.
