Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho set for big season if he plays to his strengths

Alejandro Garnacho wouldn't have been a name on many football fans' lips when looking ahead to the 2022/23 Premier League season but few would no longer be aware of him. 

The Argentine may have had to be patient for his opportunities and even then, starts were a rarity. However, Garnacho's cameo appearances off the bench never failed to get fans off their feet and particularly at Old Trafford, his performances stood out.  

As the season progressed, Garnacho was making more and more of a claim for a starting birth but coach Erik ten Hag's patience with youth is noteworthy and the United manager showed his faith in Garnacho by signing him up to a new long-term contract. 

Is Garnacho's promising pre-season a sign of what's to come?

Whilst it is not always wise to look too far into pre-season, Garnacho's performance against Lens in United's recent friendly match was exhilarating. 

The fact he started that match and was only subbed off late suggests he could well be in contention for more starts this season. 

What is for sure is his display against the French side would have given Ten Hag a headache for the opening game against Wolves. 

Garnacho ran past defenders with ease and left them in the dust time and time again. What's more, where his final ball lacked at times last season, it was sharp and precise against Lens. 

He managed one assist - running at Lens' backline with purpose before playing a perfectly weighted pass into Antony, who took one touch before slotting his effort into the bottom corner. 

He should have had a second assist when Bruno Fernandes switched play with an effortlessly exquisite ball, Garnacho's first touch was heavy but his second was brilliant.

He pulled the ball back for Mason Mount to tap in but the England international couldn't sort out his feet, missing a glaring chance.

Can he translate pre-season form into the league?

As mentioned, the real test comes when United host Wolves in the opening round of the Premier League season on Monday evening.

Whether from the start or off the bench, Garnacho needs to keep his fearless and direct approach which is his game's biggest asset and is what keeps fans in the ground and on the edge of their seats.

He possesses blistering pace, the ability to take his man on if the fullback is defensively susceptible and unpredictability in the final third.

Often, Garnacho uses his pace to run down the byline after taking on the right back, before cutting it back for a striker but he also likes to cut in and shoot with his dangerous right foot. 

It is that unpredictability that makes Garnacho's game so effective because it is hard to see him being 'found out' when defenders don't know what he's going to do from one attack to the next.

What do the stats say?

At times it can be easy to make certain claims from the eye test alone and whilst there is something to say for this, stats are a big part of the modern game and they serve a purpose to support arguments.

When you look into Garnacho's 2022/23 season, the first thing that stands out is that each of his three Premier League goals and two assists came off the bench.

This supports the earlier point that Garnacho was effective off the bench last season. However, if he wants to become a regular starter for Ten Hag, he needs to find a way to cause a threat from the start of games and not just late on in matches when the opposition is tired and his directness and fresh legs wreak havoc.

What is most exciting about Garnacho's deeper statistics is the fact that bar one three-minute cameo against Crystal Palace, Garnacho attempted a dribble in every other one of his appearances (according to Wyscout).

And whilst he may only be successful with said dribbles around 50% of the time, it's that willingness to take on his man that makes him so refreshing in the modern game where at times football can feel robotic.

That desire to make an impact however long he is on the pitch can be very effective too and we saw a perfect illustration of it against Wolves in the back end of last season. 

Garnacho was only on the pitch for 16 minutes (on his return from a lengthy injury) with United just 1-0 up when a Wolves' attack broke down and inside his own half, Fernandes saw Garnacho sprinting through the middle. 

The pass was weighted with precision and Garnacho was far too quick for the Wolves defenders but as he beared down on goal, Nelson Semedo got back behind the ball. The skilful Argentine shimmied onto his right foot, however, before curling an effort into the bottom right-hand corner.

That was Garnacho's only dribble and shot in 16 minutes but when you're always looking to get in behind and have the close control and calmness in front of goal, you always stand a chance of making a big impact. 

If Garnacho can start to make an impact from the first minute of matches and not just off the bench then this could be a massive season for him -  whilst at times he's still a bit raw, Garnacho's forward-thinking directness is invaluable in the modern game and he has all the attributes to thrive at the very top level.