Bruno Fernandes credited Alejandro Garnacho for improving his previously poor attitude after the teenager marked a rare Manchester United start with the winner against Real Sociedad.
Garnacho was named United s under-18 Player of the Year last season but has largely remained on the periphery of the first-team squad under Erik ten Hag this campaign.
The teenager proved his worth on Thursday, though, scoring his first senior goal for United with a first-half strike in a 1-0 win at La Real in the Europa League.
While the 18-year-old will hope to feature more for Ten Hag at Old Trafford now, Fernandes says he must continue with a much-improved attitude after failing to impress in pre-season with the senior side.
He was good but he knows we expect at lot from him. He s still really young. He s doing really well, the Portugal international told BT Sport.
At the beginning of the season, not at his best, in the tour he didn t have the best attitude that he should have and that s why he didn t get his chances until now.
Now he s getting chances because he s training better, he s having a better attitude and he deserves his chances.
Another good win! let’s keep this positive momentum for Sunday
— Bruno Fernandes (@B_Fernandes8)
Garnacho s strike may earn him a share of the plaudits but United still had to settle for second in Group E after Imanol Alguacil s side topped the pool by virtue of a better head-to-head record.
Juventus and Barcelona, both sides to be eliminated from the Champions League, could await United in the Europa League s knockout play-off round, with the draw set to take place on Monday.
Despite not progressing as winners of the group after failing to secure the two-goal win that was required, Fernandes believes the victory will offer Ten Hag s side encouragement.
Obviously, we knew that we needed a two-goal difference to go through at the top of the group, but it was not possible, he added.
But we won the game, we keep the momentum, we didn t concede a goal once again, so we have to keep the positives of this game, and there are many positives – much more than negatives.
So it s just [about] keeping the momentum on Sunday [when United visit Aston Villa in the Premier League].
