Alejandro Garnacho has done Erik ten Hag no favours in his battle to retain the faith of Manchester United after revealing he has been playing with an injury. Ten Hag's future is on the agenda in today's executive committee meeting in London amid a woeful start to his third season in charge.
On the back of United's worst-ever Premier League finish, the Dutchman has overseen a record-low points tally after seven matches (eight).
The Red Devils have won just three of their 11 games in all competitions this term - against Fulham, Southampton and Barnsley.
Related articles
Just two of the victories have come in seven Premier League outings across which United have only scored five goals.
Three of those came in the same game - a 3-0 win at Southampton - and Ten Hag's side have failed to find the net in five of their last five.
One of the major criticisms of Ten Hag since the start of last season has been his unnecessary risk-taking when it comes to the workload of his players.
Many believed it heavily contributed to United's unprecedented injury woes last term, which involved almost 70 different cases of absence.
And Garnacho has revealed that he has been playing with a knee injury in recent weeks ahead of withdrawing from Argentina duty.
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
"I had knee problems in the last two matches, and I won't be able to be with the national team, but I hope to recover so I can be on the next date," the 19-year-old winger wrote on Instagram yesterday.
Ten Hag introduced Garnacho as a half-time substitute in last Thursday's 3-3 Europa League stalemate at FC Porto.
He handed the United No. 17 a start against Aston Villa, and he played the entirety of the 0-0 bore draw while Amad watched on from the bench.
Ten Hag has two alternative right-wing options in Amad and Antony, so his decision to select Garnacho while he was struggling for fitness will raise further eyebrows.
Related articles
Garnacho's desire to feature as much as possible for United is no secret, and he may have kept his knee issues on the down low.
But a club of United's stature should have the staff and facilities to understand when a player isn't able to offer 100 per cent.
The Argentine has been Ten Hag's most productive forward this term, registering four goals and three assists in 11 appearances.
He could now face a spell on the sidelines, though, ahead of next weekend's return to action against Brentford.
