Alejandro Garnacho’s muted goal celebration for Manchester United sparked a heated debate between Roy Keane and Ian Wright.
The Argentine netted a superb 20-yard effort to seal the points as the Red Devils swept aside Leicester City 3-1 at Old Trafford.
However, Garnacho’s celebration was not exactly one that would match a goal of such quality.
The winger, who is known for his high-octane goal celebrations, threw a half-hearted fist bump before being mobbed by his teammates.
But it was clear that the 20-year-old was making a statement following a recent altercation with a fan that went viral on social media.
Ahead of last week’s Europa League clash with PAOK, Garnacho was criticised by a fan outside Old Trafford.
The fan said: “Garnacho, you’ve got to pass better today, yeah, please? Pass better, score a goal and work on your first touch as well, yeah?”
A stunned Garnacho kept his cool and sarcastically said: “Why you not playing, man?”
The fan in question has come in for a barrage of criticism since the clip went viral with Troy Deeney particularly incensed by the incident.
“What an idiot,” Deeney told talkSPORT’s Jim White.
“That’s not a supporter. That’s someone trying to get a little bit of attention. Idiot, that’s all I’d say about that.
“We live in a world where people like that, who don’t even get picked for their Sunday league team, want to try and say to a player, ‘Go work on your first touch’.
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Garnacho’s decision to make a statement by not celebrating his goal divided opinion on the latest episode of The Overlap with Keane and Wright seeing things very differently.
“If you can’t celebrate a goal there’s something drastically wrong in this game,” Keane told the panel of Wright, Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and Jill Scott.
“Whatever’s gone on off the pitch for any player, it could be family stuff. When you get a corner you don’t all celebrate, you’re playing a game to score a goal,”
Wright intervened with Keane in full flow and gave a different viewpoint on the Manchester United star’s mindset.
“For a 20-year-old he’s still going through the journey of what he’s doing,” Wright added. “That affected him to the point where he didn’t celebrate. We’re not saying that he shouldn’t celebrate.”
The former Man United captain jumped in saying: “You can still celebrate. No criticism should ever affect you celebrating a goal.”
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The conversation then became animated, particularly from Keane, as opinions went back and forth.
Wright added: “The thing is, that’s how much it affected him. He scored a great goal but he‘s worried about that and he’s a great player.”
Keane responded: “He’s just scored a brilliant goal and that should be in your head.”
“You’re not listening to me,” said the Arsenal legend. “I am listening to you I’m disagreeing with you,” Keane replied.
“You can’t be. I don’t have a problem with you disagreeing. I’m trying to put it from Garnacho’s point of view,” said Wright.
The Irishman hit back with a more measured response as to why Garnacho should have blocked out his doubters before delivering a stinging suggestion for the Argentine.
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“It’s the saddest thing in the world when someone scores and they don’t celebrate because of something that’s happened,” Keane explained.
“When you score a goal Wrighty, there’s nothing else on your mind. You’re playing a game to score goals, you’ve got fans who’ve travelled, paid fortunes to get there and he’s on about people have had a go at me.
“You’ve scored a brilliant goal, he can make his point on social media. If a young player can’t enjoy scoring a goal for Man United, you know what he should do? Get a job somewhere else.
“If he worked in a factory, someone would give him stick in the factory.”
Wright doubled down on his stance claiming that despite Garnacho’s decision to mute his celebration, the fans still got their money’s worth.
“The fans celebrated the goal. He did it for the fans, the fans got their celebration,” Wright replied.
Keane said: “You want a player to celebrate with the fans. Go over to them, look into the fans eyes.”
Wright had the final response on the topic, telling Keane: “Garnacho does do that but he’s been affected by what’s been said.”
