Manchester United's manager, Erik ten Hag, voiced his solidarity with young Argentine winger Alejandro Garnacho, who is facing a potential ban for a controversial social media post featuring gorilla emojis. Garnacho, 19, had posted an image on X (formerly known as Twitter) showcasing United players celebrating with Cameroon international Andre Onana following their 1-0 Champions League victory against Copenhagen.
The post was swiftly removed, and Onana defended his teammate, describing Garnacho's intentions as an expression of "power and strength," urging that the issue be put to rest.
However, the Football Association, known for its strict stance on racial references in social media posts, has reportedly sought Garnacho's response to the matter. This comes in the wake of previous sanctions, including a three-game ban and a £100,000 fine for former United striker Edinson Cavani in 2020 for his use of the Spanish term "negrito" in an Instagram post. In the year prior, Bernardo Silva was handed a one-match ban and fined by the FA for a tweet comparing his teammate Benjamin Mendy to a black cartoon character.
Erik ten Hag appeared calm when addressing the situation during a press conference on Friday. He stated, "Not (concerned about a ban) at this moment. We are talking with the FA. But what you see, and I can confirm that, and I want to emphasize, we are together, we are united, and we have seen that in the post of Andre Onana."
Manchester United is gearing up for a crucial match against reigning champions Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday. The Red Devils have secured three consecutive victories, although their performances have been unconvincing, with wins against Brentford, Sheffield United, and Copenhagen. A significant improvement in their performance is essential if they hope to challenge Pep Guardiola's side, who sit second in the Premier League, six points ahead of United, currently in eighth place.
Ten Hag emphasised the significance of this derby, stating, "It's a match above many other derbies. It's so huge because it's Manchester internal. But I think it's also about world football, and all eyes will be on this game globally." He acknowledged the need for United to catch up in the league standings, as they currently lag behind City.
The midfield battle in the upcoming match is crucial, and Ten Hag revealed that his team may be without Casemiro for a third consecutive game due to an ankle injury sustained while on international duty with Brazil. "Aaron (Wan-Bissaka) is back in training today, and Case is a race against the clock," Ten Hag mentioned. "No, not 100 percent."
