GARNACHO JOINS SPECIAL GRADUATES CLUB

Manchester United forward Alejandro Garnacho added his name to a star-studded roll call by firing the Reds into a first-half lead against Real Sociedad on Thursday night.

The young Argentinian striker, who scored twice in the FA Youth Cup final six months ago, opened his senior goals account for the club by driving forward on the left side of the attack to collect Cristiano Ronaldo's slide-rule pass and beat goalkeeper Alex Remiro with an emphatic finish.

It prompted memories of other prodigies from United's Academy finding the net in a senior away match in Spain, including Anthony Elanga who celebrated with similar glee to Garnacho when he notched an 80th-minute equaliser against Atletico Madrid at Wanda Metropolitano last February.

The previous three goals in Spain by a homegrown Red all came from the shooting boots of Marcus Rashford, who struck in away clashes with Granada in April 2021 (won 2-0), Valencia in December 2018 (lost 2-1) and Celta Vigo in May 2017 (won 1-0).

The latter contribution put the Reds on track to reaching, and ultimately winning, the Europa League final.

Going further back, Danny Welbeck had a night to remember when he put the Reds ahead on Spanish soil. However, our advantage at the Santiago Bernabeu only lasted from the 20th to the 30th minutes until Ronaldo, then wearing the famous all-white kit of Real Madrid, levelled for the hosts and the game eventually ended that way, 1-1.

From the Class of '92, Paul Scholes and David Beckham both scored away to Deportivo La Coruna, on separate visits in 2001 (lost 2-1) and 2002 (won 2-0).

As for Matt Busby's Babes, Dennis Viollett and Billy Whelan were on the scoresheet when the Reds were edged out 5-3 by Athletic Club in Bilbao, back in 1957.

But perhaps most famously of all, Bill Foulkes had the final say in the 1968 European Cup semi-final when he made it 3-3 on the night in Madrid, and 4-3 on aggregate, to send United into the final.