Ruben Amorim explains why Manchester United star was left out of starting XI for FA Cup clash against Fulham

Ruben Amorim has explained why Alejandro Garnacho was excluded from Manchester United’s starting XI against Fulham in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Sunday, February 2. Amorim said he named the Argentine forward on the bench because he has a knock.

Garnacho has continued to be a mainstay for Manchester United under Ruben Amorim. Before their game against Fulham, he has featured in every game for the Red Devils this season, barring one.

In United’s last match, which was against Ipswich Town last Wednesday, Garnacho was sacrificed for Noussair Mazraoui after Patrick Dorgu was shown a red card. The Argentine international, however, opted to go straight down the tunnel instead of sitting with his teammates in the dugout.

After the lineup for Manchester United’s clash with Fulham was released and Garnacho was named on the bench, the assumption was that the Argentine was left out of the team’s starting lineup because of his action against Ipswich.

Amorim, however, cleared the air ahead of kick-off. Speaking to MUTV, the United boss said:

"Chris (Eriksen) is working really well and Garna (Garnacho) has a knock. We cannot risk players at this moment, but because this is a cup game and it is decided today, we have Garna on the bench if we need him. It was just a rotation in the team to have fit players. Everybody needs to feel important and we need to win the game to go to the next stage and we cannot risk any player at this moment."

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"He is a young kid that will learn" – Ruben Amorim on Alejandro Garnacho’s decision to walk straight down the tunnel after being substituted in Manchester United vs Ipswich Town

Ruben Amorim defended Alejandro Garnacho after the young winger walked straight down the tunnel following his substitution in Manchester United’s clash against Ipswich Town. The Portuguese manager emphasized that Garnacho’s reaction was a learning moment and that such incidents are part of a player’s growth process.

Garnacho's decision to walk directly into the dressing room instead of taking a seat on the bench, sparked discussions about his attitude and professionalism.

However, Amorim played down the controversy, stating that such moments should be understood in the context of a young player’s development.

Amorim said in the pre-match post-conference on Friday (via the club’s website):

"He is a young kid that will learn,” said the boss. “The important thing was that the next morning, he was speaking with me. I think we need to see small things, walking out of the pitch, because [Joshua] Zirkzee did the same thing and the context was different.’’

“But it was the same thing. So, we have to understand the situation, the context, the age of the players. Of course, they have to be better and understand the perception here is really important but you can deal with that the next day and move on. So, let's just move on," he added.

Garnacho has scored eight goals and provided six assists for Manchester United this season in 40 appearances across competitions.