Troy Deeney has ripped into Manchester United star Alejandro Garnacho and told him: ‘I don’t think football is for you.’
Ex-Premier League striker Deeney took aim at Garnacho after he offered a muted celebration following his late goal in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Leicester City.
The Red Devils continued their encouraging run of form in the post-Erik ten Hag era with an emphatic victory over Leicester at Old Trafford.
Garnacho put the icing on the cake with a stunning late goal but surprisingly refused to celebrate, with club captain Bruno Fernandes later offering an insight into his team-mate’s mindset.
‘It was a good day at work, I have to say,’ Fernandes said after the game. ‘We have a lot of players with big qualities, but people can get too excited after one game and too down after another.
‘Garnacho scored a banger but didn’t celebrate like he should because he thinks he has lost faith from some fans.
‘I told him people will always moan but lots of people like you and enjoy what you do.
‘I told him to celebrate, it was something special. He is a special player, we have difference makers.
‘They are the ones who win us games. We want them to score every game but that isn’t going to happen.’
Garnacho’s decision not to celebrate came a few days after he was confronted by a Manchester United fan and content creator outside Old Trafford ahead of the Europa League clash against PAOK.
The supporter told Garnacho to ‘pass better’ and ‘work on his first touch’ as he signed autographs for other fans.
A video of the incident went viral on social media, with Garnacho coldly replying: ‘Why are you not playing, man?’ before walking off.
Giving his take on Garnacho’s muted celebration, Watford legend Deeney told talkSPORT: ‘I said it last night on Match of the Day, and I’ll repeat it. It goes twofold.
‘One, it says what players are like nowadays, where their skin is so thin that one gentleman can say what he wants to say and everyone sulks.
‘And secondly, if he’s getting affected by that, I would say to him, just as an older pro: “I don’t think this football game is for you, big man”.
‘Because you play for the biggest club in world football. If you play poorly, you’re going to get people to get on your case.
‘If you play really well, you’re still going to get people to get on your case. You play for Man United.
‘It’s called jealousy and that’s part of the game. So, disappointed that he didn’t celebrate. It’s an unbelievable goal.
‘But this will be the making or breaking of him, because if he can’t handle that from one gentleman with an iPhone in his face, then I don’t think this is the game for him, unfortunately.’
Fellow talkSPORT pundit and ex-Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan added: ‘What you saw on the weekend was the absolute embodiment of the culture of Man United, and the problem they’ve got in that dressing room where that kid doesn’t celebrate that goal.
‘The reason why he doesn’t celebrate is because he’s had some hurty words said about him, or people have been critical of his performances. That is all you need to know.
