Alejandro Garnacho left with egg on his face by Man United after two-word claim

Carrick has revived United’s fortunes with 12 wins from 17 league matches after Ruben Amorim left Old Trafford back in January. But while United head into the summer knowing that they will be playing in the Champions League next season, the same can’t be said for Chelsea.

The Stamford Bridge club finished 10th and were beaten by Sunderland 2-1 on the final day of the season. And it is a far cry from what Alejandro Garnacho was expecting when he made the move to the capital during the summer.

The Argentina international moved to Stamford Bridge from Old Trafford in a deal worth £40m in August.

Garnacho’s United exit had been on the cards ever since the winger expressed frustration at starting May’s Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on the bench.

Earlier that season, Amorim also felt he was not paying attention to instructions when he was about to come on late in a Europa League tie with Viktoria Plzen.

Garnacho, who joined the Reds from Atletico Madrid in 2020, spent pre-season training away from United’s first team, having expressed a desire to leave.

But the winger very much has egg on his face now thanks to some comments he made back in December.

Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Champions League clash against Atalanta, Garnacho said he had no regrets about the manner of his departure from United and that it was a straightforward decision to “take a step forward”.

“Sometimes in life you have to change things to take a step ­forward or improve as a player,” he said.

“I think it was the right moment and the right club, so it was an easy decision. I came here to play my football and show people the player I am.

“The most important thing is confidence. [Maresca] speaks with me every week and I think we are going to get better, me as a player and the team together, with time.

“We started the season three months ago so it’s building confidence between the manager and the player.”

But given Garnacho only managed to make 43 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea, one suspects he can’t be looking back on the move now as a “step forward”.

Instead, the Argentine, it appears, faces an uncertain future at Chelsea ahead of the arrival of Xabi Alonso.

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