Manchester United star swaps shirts with Alejandro Garnacho after beating Chelsea

Alejandro Garnacho was left on the bench as Chelsea were beaten by Manchester United (Getty)

Amad Diallo put rivalry aside by swapping shirts with Alejandro Garnacho after Manchester United’s 2-1 win over Chelsea on Saturday.

Garnacho received a hostile reception on his return to Old Trafford following his £40 million move to Chelsea in the closing stages of the summer transfer window.

The Argentina international was left as an unused substitute by Enzo Maresca, but as he headed towards the tunnel after the match had ended, the winger was the subject of an abusive chant from United supporters in the Stretford End.

Garnacho left United under a cloud after he publicly criticised Ruben Amorim following the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham in May.

Reports had suggested that some of Garnacho’s former United teammates, including captain Bruno Fernandes, urged the 21-year-old to improve his attitude in his final few season at Old Trafford.

However, Amad is clearly still on friendly terms with Garnacho as the pair swapped shirts and smiled for a picture outside Chelsea’s dressing room after the game.

Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo swapped shirts after Chelsea’s defeat at Old Trafford (Instagram)

Amad’s decision to swap shirts with Garnacho received a mixed reception on social media, with some United supporters urging the Ivory Coast international to ‘read the room’.

Maresca, meanwhile, revealed after the game that Garnacho was set to be brought on as a substitute in the second half but Wesley Fofana’s injury forced the Chelsea manager to change plans.

‘The reason why we changed Pedro [Neto] and Estevao [Willian] was because they attack with the five players always, and we defend with the four, and we can defend with the four when we are 11 vs 11, but 11 against them,’ Maresca said.

‘I think we need to defend on the width, so we decided to go with the back five, this is the reason why.

‘And then the other one, Garna, he was ready to go on, but then Wes [Fofana] asked for the change, because he was tired after a long time, so we changed and we decided to go for Tyrique [George], and the idea was to give Garnacho minutes.’

When asked to clarify if the decision to keep Garnacho on the bench was linked with the hostile reception he received from United supporters at Old Trafford, Maresca said: ‘No, also because he was ready, and he was ready to go on, and then Wes asked for a change.’

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