Roland Cutinho
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag confirms Jadon Sancho was left out of the Arsenal game due to poor performance in training
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag stated that Jadon Sancho was left out of the matchday squad for the Arsenal game at Emirates Stadium due to a lacklustre performance in training.
The visiting team were missing several players due to injuries, including Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, and Mason Mount. Additionally, Sancho did not travel with the squad to the capital.
Both the 23-year-old and Scott McTominay were absent from the squad that travelled to London, and it was later confirmed that Sancho was not included in either the starting lineup or the substitutes’ bench against the Gunners.
He has yet to be in the starting lineup for United this season, having been a substitute in all three of their previous games against Wolves, Tottenham, and Nottingham Forest.
Youngsters Dan Gore and Hannibal Mejbri were included in United’s squad ahead of the former Borussia Dortmund star on Sunday.
Ten Hag confirmed that the latter was unable to travel due to illness. However, he stated that Sancho was excluded from the squad due to his failure to deliver in training.
As quoted by the club’s official website (h/t Fabrizio Romano), the Dutch boss said:
“And Jadon, on his performance in training, was not selected. You have to reach a level at Manchester United every day and we can make choices in the front line. So for this game he was not selected.”
United had a less potent bench compared to Arsenal, and Sancho’s presence as a substitute in the second half could have been valuable.
Mikel Arteta’s team benefited significantly from their substitutes, who entered the match and had a big influence.
During the previous season, the English star, who struggled at Old Trafford, was granted a break from the public eye by Ten Hag, allowing him to focus on both his physical fitness and mental well-being.
Sancho had a three-month absence last season. During this period, he travelled to the Netherlands to receive coaching from individuals recommended by the manager.
After his return, the No. 25 performed well for a short time. During the pre-season, he was used as a false nine, suggesting a potential shift in his role.
Nevertheless, Sancho did not feature in the starting lineup for any of United’s three matches leading up to the Arsenal game.
Ten Hag’s remarks suggest that there might be ongoing issues concerning the player behind the scenes once more. The player has now made it even more obvious by hitting back at the manager in his recent Twitter post, claiming that he did give his best in training.
He also urged the fans not to believe in everything they read. This recent drama is not a good sign for the Red Devils since they are already dealing with the unfortunate loss against Arsenal.
United pursued Sancho for nearly two years before successfully signing him in 2021. However, he has struggled to secure a consistent spot in the starting lineup.
Furthermore, the team has added additional players like Antony and Rasmus Hojlund to strengthen Ten Hag’s attacking options. This has put more pressure on the English star to deliver.
Ten Hag has been strict while dealing with his players, and the recent rift between the player and the manager justifies this. Sancho would need to show his capability at every chance he gets.
A failure to do so may affect his current standing in the squad. The manager is also under pressure to deliver, and it feels like he would be pushing his players to be more competitive, and for that, they need to put all their efforts into training.
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United will need to rotate their squad in other cup competitions, handing Sancho a chance to justify his enormous price tag. A sudden drama has added more fuel to the fire at Old Trafford.
