Erik ten Hag responds to Alejandro Garnacho comparisons with Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo

Erik ten Hag has rubbished comparisons made between Alejandro Garnacho and Manchester United legends Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Garnacho scored a truly stunning overhead kick to give Man Utd an early lead in their eventual 3-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday evening.

The goal has notably drawn comparisons to overhead kicks scored by Wayne Rooney – for the Red Devils against Manchester City – and Cristiano Ronaldo for Real Madrid against Juventus in the UEFA Champions League – two goals widely considered to be some of the best we’ve seen in recent times.

However, speaking to the press after the win, manager Ten Hag was keen to rubbish comparisons between Garnacho and the legendary forwards, insisting that the youngster needs to do more if he wants to be “a player like Rooney or Ronaldo”:

“Don’t compare, I don’t think it’s right. They all have their own identity. For Garnacho to go that way, he has a lot to come, he has to work very hard and do it on a consistent base. So far, he has not but he definitely has high potential to do some amazing things.

“It is not the first time we see this, we see often glimpses, but if you want to be a player like Rooney or Ronaldo, you have to score 20, 25 goals in the Premier League.

“It’s not easy to get, you have to work very hard and go in ways where it hurts. A lot to come but potential he has.

“It was a fantastic goal. In the season, there are still many games to play but maybe already the goal of the season. Not only the finish, it was the back to the end. But the finish was incredible.”

The goal was just Garnacho’s second in all competitions thus far this season, and he’ll be hoping to add to that tally when he and Manchester United face off against Galatasaray in a crucial Champions League game in midweek.

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