Alejandro Garnacho says improving Manchester United must maintain momentum as they look to claw themselves into the Champions League qualification spots.
A promising first season under Erik ten Hag has been followed by a challenging second campaign filled with more downs than ups, thanks in no small part to a swathe of injuries.
The drop off means United have no European football after Christmas but there has been a recent upturn in fortunes and they usurped West Ham in sixth after Garnacho’s brace in Sunday’s 3-0 win at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils remain six points behind Tottenham in fifth – a position that may be enough for Champions League qualification – and a further two behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, where Ten Hag’s team head on Sunday.
“I am always trying to help the team by either scoring or assisting,” Garnacho said after his second-half double at the weekend.
“I don’t care if Rasmus (Hojlund) or (Marcus) Rashford scores, I think we have to win and we have to be in the top six again.
“Hopefully, you know, (I could get) 10, 12 goals (by the end of the season).
“Now we go over West Ham into the top six but of course we want to be in the Champions League the next year, so we have to keep this momentum and try to win the next game.”
United have won four of their five matches in all competitions since the turn of the year, drawing the other, with Hojlund scoring in each of his last four matches.
The summer signing celebrated his 21st birthday by opening the scoring on Sunday, continuing a fine run started when breaking his Premier League duck in the 3-2 Boxing Day turnaround against Villa.
“I am very happy for Rasmus and also because it is his birthday,” Garnacho told MUTV.
“He had a difficult start but now he has scored (in) four games in a row. I am very happy for him and all of the team.”
Hojlund’s strike was complemented by Garnacho’s brace, with his first goal celebrated by sitting on the advertising hoardings alongside fellow grinning young guns Hojlund and Kobbie Mainoo.
The latter scored a fantastic stoppage-time winner to secure Thursday’s 4-3 victory at Wolves and Garnacho is full of praise for his 18-year-old team-mate and fellow 2022 FA Youth Cup winner.
“It is a dream for me and for Kobbie,” the Argentina international said.
“Kobbie is a future star, for me, and also it is a good feeling because we played in the Under-18s and the Under-21s, we grew up together and I am very happy.
“If you have to play, you play, it doesn’t matter if you are 18. I am happy for me and happy for the team.”
While United turn their attention to Villa Park, the Hammers have to refocus on next Sunday’s visit of high-flying Arsenal.
West Ham captain Kurt Zouma said after his side’s Old Trafford defeat: “Everyone is disappointed, which is good because you don’t want to lose games.
“We want to improve – we’ve got more time to prepare for a big game against Arsenal next week.
“Hopefully we’re going to be ready for it and make sure we get the three points at home.”
Rogers pens long-term Aston Villa deal
Morgan Rogers has signed a new contract to keep him at Aston Villa until the end of the 2029-30 season.
Rogers, newly minted as a full England international after making his debut against Greece last week, joined Villa in February from Middlesbrough.
He swiftly established himself as a regular in Unai Emery's set-up, and has played 22 times in the Premier League, making 19 starts.
The 22-year-old has netted six goals and provided three assists in the top flight.
Rogers has also started each of Villa's four Champions League matches this season.
His tally of nine chances created in the Champions League is the most of any player in Villa's squad, five more than next-best Ollie Watkins.
Cuba overturn deficit in 5-2 aggregate Play-In win over St Kitts and Nevis to book Gold Cup prelims spot
Cuba booked their spot in the Concacaf Gold Cup prelims after they turned the tables on St Kitts and Nevis in their Concacaf Nations League Play-In tie on Monday.
Needing to overturn a deficit from their 1-2 first-leg loss, Cuba did just that in commanding fashion as they blanked St Kitts and Nevis 4-0 in a lopsided return-leg encounter at Estadio Antonio Maceo in Santiago de Cuba.
After bossing possession for most of the first half, Cuba inevitably broke the deadlock when Onel Hernandez produced a decent solo run on his way to driving home a right-footer from the top of the penalty area to level the series on aggregate at that point.
But the hosts were far from done and doubled the lead on the stroke of the break as Yosel Piedra also converted from close range in the 45+3 to make it 2-0 at the break and 3-2 on aggregate.
With St Kitts and Nevis offering very little resistance on the resumption, Cuba extended their lead in the 50th courtesy of Luis Paradela’s close-range finish.
Maykel Reyes then converted an 87th-minute penalty to cap the win as Cuba continued their march towards making the cut for next year’s Concacaf Gold Cup. A win in the preliminary rounds would see them achieving that feat.
Bayern's Palhinha sidelined for weeks with adductor injury
Bayern Munich confirmed Joao Palhinha will be sidelined for several weeks after suffering an adductor injury while on international duty.
The midfielder sustained the issue while training with Portugal, and withdrew from the squad, missing both of their Nations League fixtures against Poland and Croatia.
Palhinha, who joined Bayern on a four-year contract in July from Fulham, has made 13 appearances in all competitions and boasts a 100% tackle completion rate in the Bundesliga (7/7).
"FC Bayern's medical department has confirmed that Joao Palhinha suffered a torn muscle fibre in his right adductor while training with the Portugal national team," the club said. "The midfielder will therefore be sidelined for the coming weeks."
Bayern have been boosted by Aleksandar Pavlovic's return to first-team training over the international break, though he has still not returned to full fitness.
The Bavarians, top of the Bundesliga with a five-point advantage over RB Leipzig, have a busy schedule ahead of them with four matches in 11 days.
Bayern take on Augsburg in the league on Friday before hosting Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League next Tuesday. They then travel to Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga and face holders Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB-Pokal on December 3.
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