Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has stated he will speak with Alejandro Garnacho after the winger headed straight to the dressing room upon being substituted in the first half of United’s 3-2 win against Ipswich.
The 20-year-old Argentine was replaced by defender Noussair Mazraoui two minutes before halftime following Patrick Dorgu’s red card. As rain poured at Old Trafford, Garnacho appeared to indicate he wanted to take his shirt off and walked down the tunnel instead of joining the substitutes on the bench.
When asked about the situation, Amorim confirmed he would discuss it with the player. “I am going to talk with Garnacho about that,” he said.
Garnacho has previously faced disciplinary concerns at United, having been dropped for the Manchester derby against City in December due to training performance and attitude issues. However, unlike Marcus Rashford—who has since gone on loan to Aston Villa—Garnacho was quickly reintegrated into the squad.
Amorim defended his tactical decision, explaining that after Dorgu’s red card, he needed to shift to a 5-3-1 formation, which required sacrificing an attacking player. “That is a risk because he [Garnacho] is the one who can play one-v-one in pace,” Amorim admitted. “We had to choose someone to go out. It was my choice.”
United’s Struggles Off the Pitch
The incident comes amid a difficult period for Manchester United, with the club announcing that up to 200 staff members could lose their jobs in the next four months. Club morale is reportedly at a low, and chief executive Omar Berrada has had to navigate difficult internal discussions regarding cost-cutting measures.
Despite the turmoil, Amorim remains confident in his project at United, acknowledging that while his team has shown resilience—such as in their FA Cup win over Arsenal with 10 men—they are not yet playing in the style he envisions.
United currently sit 14th in the Premier League, nine points off the top half of the table, with crucial upcoming fixtures in the FA Cup against Fulham and a Europa League last-16 tie against Real Sociedad. Dorgu will miss the Fulham match due to suspension.
