Amorim admits £38m Man Utd ace is 'not in the great moment' ahead of Man City clash

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has delivered a clear message to rising star Alejandro Garnacho ahead of the high-stakes showdown with Manchester City at Old Trafford.

Speaking in the pre-match press conference, Amorim said (via ManUtd.com): “I think he’s doing the right things.

“Of course, like any player in our team, he has to choose better, especially in the last third. We have to improve, all the players have to improve.

“Maybe Bruno [Fernandes] is the one who can do something — an assist or scoring goals — very easily.

“So we have to improve as a team to help Garnacho, but Garnacho is improving the way he defends, the way he runs, so he’s working hard.

“He needs to score more goals and assists, that is clear, but so do the other guys.

“I see him as a young kid who wants to improve, is improving but is not in the great moment in that department like the other guys on the team.”

The Derby is the perfect stage for making a statement

Garnacho was left out of the squad for the reverse fixture at the Etihad earlier this season due to behaviour issues.

It is a massive opportunity for the 20-year-old to show his worth on Sunday.

It has been a mixed campaign for the Argentine talent, who has yet to hit his stride under Amorim’s new system.

The Portuguese head coach has used Garnacho as one of the number 10s, whereas the youngster has spent the majority of his career as a traditional winger.

It is natural to expect the youngster to take some time to adapt but United fans have high expectations of him.

He has notched up 17 goal contributions in 46 appearances this season, though just five of those have come in the Premier League.

He also needs to work on his body language, cutting down on visible frustration and showing more composure under pressure.

Undoubtedly, Garnacho has all the tools to become a world-class player in the future.

However, he needs to focus on improving and becoming a crucial asset to this current side.

In the absence of Marcus Rashford, the £38 million-rated ace has the chance to become the club’s talisman.

The onus is on him to make the best use of the opportunity and show that he can be the poster boy of the Red Devils.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .