Chelsea star Alejandro Garnacho has hit back at two big decisions in the best possible way during a Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Arsenal
Alejandro Garnacho scored twice off the bench for Chelsea
Alejandro Garnacho scored twice off the bench for Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final vs Arsenal(Image: (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images))
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Alejandro Garnacho provided the perfect response to being benched for Chelsea's Carabao Cup semi-final first leg defeat to Arsenal. The former Manchester United man scored twice in his 37-minute cameo at Stamford Bridge to keep the Blues alive in the tie.
Goals from Ben White and Viktor Gyokeres put the visitors in control but Garnacho was able to reduce the deficit with a fine finish at the back post. Martin Zubimendi restored Arsenal's two-goal advantage only for Garnacho to find the back of the net again, with the first leg ending 3-2.
The Blues head to Emirates Stadium for the return clash next month, with Garnacho discussing that clash and his impact as a substitute. His response to the latter was perfect, but that was often not the case at United, with his attitude towards not playing regularly questioned on several occasions.
However, it certainly seems as though he has a fresh perspective on that and is now much more mature with his latest comments showing his true colours and an understanding that he won't always start. He told Chelsea's official website: "I always try to do my best, and today I helped with goals off the bench.
"Every attacker wants to score goals, but my job is to try and help the team. Sometimes you play from the start, and other times you don’t. The players on the bench are just as important as the players in the first XI, and I just tried to do my best.
"I think we are still in it. The game is open, there’s just one goal difference. We know how hard it is to play at the Emirates, but we know the team we have, and we know what we can do. We have to go there and give everything.
"We always try to win the games, and it’s frustrating when you don’t win the game. We started a little bit slowly, but in the second half we were much better. We now have to try everything in the second leg."
Garnacho has endured a turbulent start to his career in west London, with Chelsea already considering more attacking additions despite signing him and Jamie Gittens this past summer.
The Blues enquired about Antoine Semenyo but ultimately opted against signing him from Bournemouth before he joined Manchester City.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea have 'already shown' that signing another forward is high up on their agenda for the summer, with Garnacho, Pedro Neto and Gittens lacking consistency. However, the ex-United man provided the perfect response to Chelsea's transfer plans with his double on Wednesday night.
Alejandro Garnacho
Garnacho's attitude was questioned on several occasions when he was a Manchester United player(Image: Manchester United via Getty)
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Despite the extensive turnover of players, as evidenced by Noni Madueke's switch to Arsenal two-and-a-half years after signing from PSV, Garnacho simply replied "no" when asked if he had any regrets about joining the club from United.
He later added: "Sometimes in life you need to change things to take a step forward or improve as a player. It was the right moment, and the right club. So it was an easy decision."
The Argentine was frozen out of Ruben Amorim's pre-season plans and was later made part of United's 'bomb-squad' alongside Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia.
Chelsea paid £40million for his signature with a 10 per cent sell-on clause included in the deal that could certainly be activated given how the Blues operate in the market.
The 21-year-old was an unused substitute on his first return to Old Trafford with United winning that game 2-1. Now led by Michael Carrick, Garnacho will face his former club in mid-April at Stamford Bridge.