By Jonty Banks

14th Nov, 2022 | 2:10pm

Jermain Defoe heaps praise on Manchester United match-winner Alejandro Garnacho

Jermain Defoe has lavished praise on teenage sensation Alejandro Garnacho following Manchester United’s last-gasp win over Fulham on Sunday 13th November.

Garnacho stole the headlines after scoring a 93-minute winner at Craven Cottage – his first in the Premier League – which left United just three points off the top four.

The 18-year-old will not be heading to the World Cup with Argentina and instead work with Erik ten Hag and the rest of the United squad during the six-week Premier League hiatus.

Speaking on Match of the Day 2, ex-England forward Defoe lauded the winger’s impact after coming on for Antony Martial in the 72nd minute.

He said: “The young man was really impressive when he came on. Just to inject a bit of life into the team, I feel like at that stage Fulham looked like the better team that would go on and win the game.

“He came on in the 72nd minute and was really direct in everything he did.

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“What really impressed me was the finish.

“For a young player who’s just 18 years old and when it is the last kick of the game, to show that calmness and composure in those sorts of areas and finish like that, he really impressed me.”

Sensation

Following the untimely and unsavoury comments of Cristiano Ronaldo in his sensational interview with Piers Morgan, the importance of Garnacho to Ten Hag has increased tenfold.

With Antony Martial a constant injury risk, Jadon Sancho out of form, and Marcus Rashford and Antony likely to go deep in the World Cup and therefore unlikely to start upon their resumption at Unnierd, Garnacho may well find himself starting a heap of games around the Christmas period.

However, Bruno Fernandes has already mentioned that the youngster had an attitude issue in pre-season, and he must be careful not to get overawed by the media frenzy which is likely to follow him.

He has already spent time training with both Lionel Messi whilst on Argentina duty and Ronaldo at Manchester United and needs to take the lessons he has learnt from the two best players in the modern era and apply them at Old Trafford on a consistent basis.

In other news, Wayne Rooney begs Manchester United to sign ‘hottest youngster in world football’ Jude Bellingham