"We have to think about Alejandro Garnacho, who is best from the left as well and has so much end product," said Erik ten Hag ahead of Manchester United's European match this week.

His comment highlighted the ongoing dilemma he faces on the left wing, with Garnacho and Marcus Rashford seemingly in competition for the same position.

Ten Hag's remarks came in response to a question about Rashford, shedding light on the internal competition between Rashford and Garnacho for the left flank. Although Garnacho has shown his versatility by playing on both wings, statistics over the past 10 months suggest that he is surprisingly more effective on the right side. In the current 2023/24 season, Garnacho averages a goal every 258 minutes on the right, compared to a goal every 456 minutes on the left, challenging Ten Hag’s perception of him as primarily a left winger.

Manchester United fans made their displeasure clear at Old Trafford after Erik ten Hag's controversial decision during their 3-0 defeat to Liverpool. With United trailing, Ten Hag opted to bring on Amad in hopes of sparking a comeback, but his choice to substitute Alejandro Garnacho was met with loud boos from the home crowd.

Garnacho, one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal performance, was expected by many fans to stay on the pitch. The supporters’ reaction suggested they would have preferred to see Marcus Rashford, who struggled throughout the match, make way instead. Rashford failed to trouble Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson and was largely ineffective in the attack, leading to growing frustration among the United faithful.