Man Utd told Ten Hag reliance on unlikely ‘saviour’ proves ‘something is wrong’ at Old Trafford

Patrice Evra loves a Man Utd attacker who’s risen to the fore this season, though believes his high status is proof the club still have a long way to go.

The Red Devils cruised to a 2-0 victory over Burnley on Tuesday night that booked their place in the quarter finals of the EFL Cup.

Goals from Christian Eriksen and Marcus Rashford sunk the Championship leaders. Eriksen’s opener owed much to a fantastic assist from Aaron Wan-Bissaka who may have scuppered two United transfers pencilled in for January as a result.

Despite many of United’s World Cup contingent being fit enough to start, Ten Hag still found a place for rising youngster Alejandro Garnacho in his starting eleven.

The 18-year-old has been a revelation this season, bagging two goals and two assists from just 353 minutes of action.

Garnacho scored an injury-time winner in the club’s last Premier League match prior to the World Cup break. His late heroics against Fulham have clearly enhanced his standing at the club, with reports touting a new contract that could see his salary increase ten-fold.

However, while Garnacho’s rapid rise is undoubtedly a positive, former Manchester United left-back, Patrice Evra, believes it shows how far the club still has to go.

Via the Manchester Evening News, Evra lauded the young forward, though stressed United and Ten Hag shouldn’t have to be reliant on someone so young.

In Evra’s mind, the fact Garnacho is already proving undroppable is something of a red flag.

Garnacho should be a surprise, not a saviour – Evra

“For Ten Hag, there’s been a lot of pressure and a lot of pressure away from the pitch, like with the Cristiano Ronaldo case,” said Evra. “Ten Hag has come to a new league and I’m quite happy.

“I don’t expect any more for United. I keep saying it’s like a rollercoaster, they will win four games in a row that you don’t expect them to win, and then they will lose a game.

“Last [Premier League] game we won against Fulham and I felt we were too dependent on Garnacho, a young kid, and that’s why I know United are not ready.

“If you are at a club like United or Juve, if it’s kids that make the difference that’s when you know something is wrong because in my time you had 20 personalities and characters, then the young players would come and be a surprise, but not the saviour.

“I don’t like that. I love Garnacho but I don’t want him to be the saviour, because if he is, it means something is not right.”

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