On a day when Manchester United were drawn against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, a former talent from the Spanish club scored his first ever Old Trafford goal.
Alejandro Garnacho joined United from Atletico in 2020, and last night he starred in the FA Youth Cup for United.
More used to playing on the Carrington training pitches, this was a rare chance for United’s under-18 players to line up at Old Trafford.
Garnacho made the most of it, scoring a spectacular volley at the Stretford End that Wayne Rooney would have been proud of.
The 17-year-old winger has now scored in five different competitions already this season; the under-18 league and Premier League Cup competitions this season, the UEFA Youth League, the under-23s league, and now the FA Youth Cup.
He has nine goals to his name and is United’s joint leading goalscoring in all competitions at academy level, with Manni Norkett also on nine.
The difference is Garnacho also has four assists, with one of them coming last night to set up a goal for Sam Mather.
The Spaniard faded a little in the second half and was substituted for Ethan Ennis, able to reflect on an impressive night’s work and a goal he will remember for a long time.
United through to the next round
United’s 4-2 win over Scunthorpe has set up a tie against Reading in the next round as the club look to win the FA Youth Cup for a record-extending 11th time.
Along with Garnacho, United’s goals were scored by Sam Mather, Maxi Oyedele and Charlie McNeill.
Garnacho, Mather and McNeill all added assists, with Oyedele creating his own goal after winning the ball back of the edge of the box.
Fan reaction
Garnacho is making a strong impression on United supporters and his goal in the Youth Cup underlined some of the excitement he is generating. Here is a look at how fans reacted to the winger’s performance…
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