For Graeme Souness, the way Manchester United utilised two of their standout performers during the 2023/24 campaign highlighted a weakness in Erik ten Hag’s squad as much as it showcased a strength.
It has been 87 years now since Manchester United last put out a team sheet without an academy graduate included.
That remarkable run continued throughout last season too, and culminated with two Carrington kids defeating arch rivals Man City at Wembley to secure the FA Cup. Alejandro Garnacho took his tally to ten for the campaign – reaching double figures for the very first time – as he forced that mix up between Stefan Ortega and Josko Gvardiol at Wembley.
Kobbie Mainoo doubled United’s lead later on in a phenomenal first-half. Thus, capping a breakthrough season which may have had some supporters wondering if they were tuning into a Red Devils-themed re-boot of the Goal! franchise with the teenage midfielder in the Santiago Munoz role.
But while the emergance of Garnacho and Mainoo as two of the first names on the Man United team-sheet is testament to the superb work done behind the scenes at football’s most fabled academy, it also shines a harsh light on the struggles of Erik ten Hag’s more senior players.
Manchester United overreliant on Garnacho and Mainoo
Garnacho comfortably outshone the likes of Antony and Marcus Rashford. Mainoo, meanwhile, forced Christian Eriksen out of the XI while bailing out Casemiro on numerous occasions.
For Graeme Souness, speaking to talkSPORT, Garnacho and Mainoo may be two players with ‘real potential’ but – in an ideal world – Man United would not be relying so heavily on a pair of 19-year-olds who continue to show their experienced, underperforming team-mates how it’s done.
“That is the bottom line. (Ten Hag) has got to get a very different tune out of the existing group of players,” the Liverpool legend argues (18 June, 11.50am).
“He’s got Garnacho, Mainoo, a group of young players. They are players who should be in and out of the team. You’re not expecting 18, 19-year-old’s to be the difference in a long, hard nine months. You can’t rely on them every single week.
“(But) they have real potential.”
Mainoo only made his Premier League debut in November’s 3-0 win at Everton – a game best remembered for Garnacho’s glorious overhead kick – and ended the campaign with 24 top-flight starts.
Garnacho, meanwhile, started 38 games in a row in all competitions, the winger looking in need of a long overdue break before ending his season on a high at Wembley.
Ineos must upgrade Red Devils squad
The transfer market at least offers Man United the chance – under their new Ineos decision-makers – to ease the burden on the baby-faced duo, running the rule over a variety of midfield and attacking targets.
“The number one thing they have to get right is recruitment,” Souness, adds Ten Hag losing some control in the market after ill-fated signings like that of Antony.
“He brought three players from his old team (Antony, Andre Onana and Martinez joining from Ajax). They’re his choices, they spent the best part of £200 million on three players.
“(Ten Hag) will point to winning a League Cup last year and an FA Cup this year. (But) I would have thought, at the start of the season, their aim would be to get into the Champions League. This is Manchester United we’re talking about.
“And he didn’t do that. I think the FA Cup has papered over the cracks. I think the season was pretty miserable.”