Ruben Amorim reveals unusual punishment for Alejandro Garnacho after storming down tunnel | OneFootball

Alejandro Garnacho will buy dinner for the Manchester United squad as an informal punishment for storming down the tunnel when he was substituted in Wednesday’s win over Ipswich.

Manager Ruben Amorim said the 20-year-old needed to understand that perception matters at a club the size of United and that it was a bad look when he did not return to the dugout or reappear with other squad members for the second half.

But he revealed that the winger was quick to come an offer an explanation for his behaviour on Thursday morning and his own research showed that Garnacho had not left Old Trafford.

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Garnacho headed straight down the tunnel after his substitution (Getty Images)

The Argentina winger was taken off in the first half, when Amorim said he was playing well, in a reshuffle caused by Patrick Dorgu’s red card and he demonstrated his disappointment with his manager’s decision.

Amorim said: “It was funny because the next day he came to my office. I did some investigations, he went to the dressing room to change his clothes because he was wet. He watched the game, not in the bench, and at the end of the game he was there and went home. So it is not an issue. But at a big club like Manchester United everything is important and perception is important. He is going to pay a dinner to all the team and that is it.”

Amorim exiled Marcus Rashford from his squad before the England forward was loaned to Aston Villa but was quick to stress on Wednesday evening that the situation with Garnacho was different.

And he added: “He is a young kid that will learn. The important thing is that in the next morning he was speaking with me. We need to see the small things in walking out to the pitch.”

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(Getty Images)

Joshua Zirkzee also went down the tunnel after his first-half substitution against Newcastle in December but Amorim stressed that was a separate case after the Dutchman was jeered off by some supporters in a tactical change.

“Zirkzee did the same thing and the context was different,” he added. “The players have to understand the perception here was really important.”

Garnacho will not be disciplined and is available for selection for Sunday’s FA Cup tie against Fulham, although he is a fitness doubt.

“He has a knock, when he went to shoot was blocked inside the box,” Amorim added. “I expect for him to be ready but we will see.”

Amorim said he knew why Garnacho was irritated to come off. “I know the players quite well,” he added. “I played for quite a while, I understand they are frustrated. He was subbed, he was playing well and has to go off in that moment of the game. It's hard to deal with everything but they have to deal with everything. I just try to help them be better footballers.”