Alejandro Garnacho made another brief appearance Thursday off the bench, and once again, the 18-year-old didn't take long to get the Old Trafford fans clapping.
It must have felt like a nightmare for the 33-year-old, partially wounded Cesar Azpilicueta to see Garnacho dressed and prepared to go. The Manchester United player got on the end of a cross from Jadon Sancho and passed a defender 15 years his senior in a matter of minutes before Kepa Arrizabalaga stopped his shot.
It was only a fleeting instance, but it perfectly captured Garnacho's influence this season. On fresh legs, it can be challenging to control his pace and directness, but after more than an hour of trying, it can start to resemble hell.
With 22 of his 33 appearances this season coming off the bench, Garnacho has played 1,212 total minutes, or slightly under 37 minutes per game. His last seven games have been below average in six of them. His next might be a lot more.
Antony sustained an injury on Thursday night, preventing him from playing against Fulham on Sunday and virtually probably keeping him from the FA Cup final the following Saturday. Erik ten Hag acknowledged that it appeared "serious," but he was willing to wait for the results of additional analysis before drawing any conclusions.
But while one door closes, another one opens, and Garnacho's first-team push may be sparked by Antony's absence. Although they frequently play on different wings, this team has few players with a playing style as close to theirs.
Like Antony, Garnacho is a performer who gets the Old Trafford audience up and cheering with every move. The South American pair are similar to Sancho in pace, directness, and showmanship.
Ten Hag is aware of it, and after using them as substitutes against Barcelona in February, the Dutchman commented of their similarities.
“We know if we can bring Antony or Garnacho, you get in the wide areas speed, running behind and dribbles," Ten Hag said. "You get belief. They are so brave, both of them. They don’t fear anyone, especially at the Stretford End. They are just running behind and it gives a boost to the team.”
Few United players possess in abundance the uncommon quality of being able to elevate a performance. This season, Marcus Rashford has performed it better than the majority of others, but despite his progress and efforts to get back in shape, Sancho still lacks that spark.
Garnacho returned to scoring for the first time since his injury a fortnight ago during an action-packed cameo against Wolves, which has become his trademark. While praising the adolescent for working full-time, Ten Hag emphasized the significance of taking the next step.
"Once again, he did it," the Dutchman said.
"He has had a big impact in many games: whether starting or coming on, he’s straight into the game and that’s so important for the squad."
"I’m happy we can bring in young players and, hopefully, he will progress so quickly that he can compete for a starting XI position because that is his next challenge."
With little playing time, the young player has struggled to establish himself, but Antony's absence may provide him a chance to play in the season's final two games. On Sunday against Fulham, if you start and play well, you might have a chance to advance to the FA Cup final.
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