Alejandro Garnacho Chelsea reaction speaks volumes after Man Utd reminder
Alejandro Garnacho was taken off during Chelsea's 2-1 defeat to Sunderland, and the winger was not happy, sparking a reminder of his time at Manchester United
Alejandro Garnacho's frustration was clear for all to see when he was substituted during Chelsea's 2-1 loss to Sunderland at Stamford Bridge. The ex-Manchester United winger didn't hide his disappointment when Enzo Maresca decided to replace him with Estevao in the 58th minute.
Having netted the first goal within the opening four minutes, Garnacho felt he still had more to give before Chelsea ultimately suffered a 2-1 defeat. Maresca's decision sparked an outcry from Chelsea supporters on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter).
One fan vented: "Garnacho was probably the only attacker having a decent game... So of course he's the first one Maresca subs off. No wonder he was shaking his head," while another posted: "Maresca taking out the attacker who was most likely to score today in Garnacho was not the move."
A third chimed in with: "Maresca makes terrible substitutions. Why take off Garnacho so early?"
Garnacho marked his goal by sitting on the advertising hoarding, joined by team-mate Pedro Neto. The celebration served as a nostalgic moment for United fans – it echoed a similar celebration during their victory over West Ham in February 2024 when Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Hojlund struck the same pose.
READ MORE: Marcus Rashford told Barcelona could 'send him back' to Man UtdREAD MORE: Man Utd penalty row as ex-Premier League ref fires back 'I didn't say that at all'Back then, the trio were hailed as the future of United. However, Garnacho later made the £40million switch to Stamford Bridge, while Hojlund is also tipped to depart Old Trafford, following promising performances during a loan spell at Napoli.
Before his move to the capital, Garnacho was part of United's infamous 'bomb squad', left out in the cold during pre-season as Ruben Amorim planned a major shake-up that included shipping him off along with several teammates.
Meanwhile, Chelsea's streak of four consecutive victories across all competitions came to a stunning end when Sunderland's Chemsdine Talbi netted a last-minute winner at Stamford Bridge.
"I think in general we were not good enough," Maresca admitted post-match. "When you are not good enough in the Premier League, we know that the consequences can be bad.
"I have said many times, when you are not able to win, it is important you do not lose."
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