Manchester United have been urged to recall James Garner from his loan at Nottingham Forest after another star turn from the midfielder.
The 20-year-old was in top form once again as Forest eased into the fifth round of the FA Cup by stunning holders Leicester City on Sunday with a 4-1 win at the City Ground.
Garner, having also caught the eye in the third round win over Arsenal, once again played his part in the victory, launching the break that led to the hosts’ opener from Philip Zinckernagel before his corner found the head of Joe Worrall to put Forest in command at 3-0.
And the United loanee proved a constant threat throughout against his Premier League opponents, leading to former Arsenal defender Martin Keown to call for United to bring him back to Old Trafford.
Garner is on loan to Forest for the remainder of the season, having moved to the Championship side for his second temporary spell with them at the start of the campaign.
Commentating for BBC Sport, Keown said: “Again, set-piece, the ball in from Garner is an absolute beauty, look at the whip on that.
“You can’t underestimate the quality that Garner is putting into this box. He’s on loan from Manchester United – they need to be thinking about getting him back there quickly!”
Asked if United fans should be encouraged by Garner, Keown added: “I do. I like the way he’s developing, growing as a player. Second year here on loan, you can see the development. He’s certainly playing with a lot more confidence right now.”
Not only did Garner impress, but he holds a record this season that his team-mates back at Old Trafford can’t even boast.
United have the worst record in the top flight when it comes to set-piece goals, having scored just one all season, and they are yet to score from a corner.
That means Garner has now assisted more goals from corners against Premier League opposition than any United player this season.
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