Manchester United's former midfielder Owen Hargreaves has told the Red Devils manager Erik Ten Hah to utilize Alejandro Gernacho as a lethal weapon against La Liga table leaders Barcelona when they face off in the second leg of their Europa League knockout tie next week Thursday.
The Catalans were kept on their toes all night long as Manchester United forced them to switch their tactical approach on Thursday night.
Manchester United had the best chances to win the game but eventually settled for a draw. The visitors failed to capitalize on the mediocre and error-prone display by Barcelona's defense to gain a huge advantage ahead of the second leg in Manchester.
Wout Weghorst's one-on-one miss against Barcelona's Ter Stegen was the highlight of the first half in what was a free-flowing attacking match between the two sides. Marcus Alonso put the Catalans in front after 60 seconds after Jadon Sancho failed to convert Manchester United's attack into a goal.
Manchester United replied immediately with two quick goals, as Marcus Rashford helped them draw level before forcing an own goal as Konude put the ball into his own net after Marcus Rashford's fierce cross hit him on the thigh.
Barcelona managed to get back into the game after Raphinha's evaded cross found the back of the net, an end product of Manchester United's misplaced pass while trying to build from the back. The Catalans forced the visitors to defend for the remaining 8 minutes of the game, which ended in a stalemate.
BT Sports pundit Owen Hargreaves believes that the Red Devils deserve to win the game and stressed that the La Liga leaders were "vulnerable" throughout the game. He urged Erik Ten Hag to make use of teenager Alejandro Gernacho to get better of the much-talked-about Barcelona defense.
"I don’t think they [Barcelona] controlled the game," Hargreaves told BT Sport at full-time. "And that is a big thing for Xavi and Barcelona."
"It felt like in the transitions they were too vulnerable; they were too open." And it feels like there will be more of those situations at Old Trafford if they are going to play that way. "Maybe Garnacho plays; I think he will be perfect in that," he explained.
Alejandro Garnacho has become a darling to the Old Trafford faithful with how he has broken into the first team since his switch from Atletico Madrid in 2020. He was instrumental to the club's youth team's FA Cup success and has kept impressing under Erik Ten Hag, even with Argentina's Under-20 national team.
The Pundit was as shocked as the rest of Manchester United's fans following Erik Ten Hag's decision to play striker Wout Weghorst in a number 10 role against Barcelona. "It was quite a surprise, actually, with Marcus playing through the middle and Weghorst playing as a No. 10 and Bruno on the right," he stated.
"Maybe he [Ten Hag] plays it slightly different." But it just feels like in the transition, Barcelona weren’t there, and at Old Trafford, United will get good chances."
The 18-year-old will be looking for a starting berth against Leicester City when the Red Devils lineup against the Foxes in the Premier League at Kings Power Stadium on Sunday.
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