Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag opted for some modifications in the line-up for their Premier League fixture against Arsenal last Sunday. The most-talked-about change was Jadon SanchoтАЩs omission. Sancho did not reportedly travel to London with the Manchester United squad for the game against the Gunners. This shocking move triggered innumerable rumours speculating a potential rift between Sancho and the Dutch manager.
After Arsenal claimed a resounding 3-1 victory, Ten Hag talked about the exclusion of Sancho. The Dutchman said that the English winger was dropped from the game due to his poor performance in training. “Jadon, on his performances in training, we did not select him. You have to reach a level every day at Manchester United and we can make choices in the front line. So for this game, he was not selected,тАЭ Ten Hag was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
The remark, quite unsurprisingly, did not go down well with Jadon Sancho, who responded to Ten HagтАЩs claim by sharing a post on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). Sancho shared a long note on the social media platform to clear his stance on the matter. тАЬPlease don’t believe everything you read. I will not allow people to say things that are completely untrue,тАЭ he wrote.
Jadon Sancho did not seem convinced about Erik Ten Hag’s logic. The former Borussia Dortmund forward refused to accept that his performance in training was the only reason behind the snub. Labelling himself as a тАЬscapegoat,тАЭ Sancho noted, тАЬI believe there are other reasons for this matter that I won’t go into.тАЭ
In the end, Sancho pledged to continue the battle to reclaim his place in the Manchester United squad. тАЬAll I want to do is play football with a smile on my face and contribute to my team. I respect all decisions that are made by the coaching staff, I play with fantastic players and am grateful to do so which I know every week is a challenge,тАЭ the 23-year-old wrote.
Jadon Sancho shifted his base to Old Trafford from Borussia Dortmund in 2021. Manchester United roped him in for a fee of ┬г73 million. He mostly played as a starter in his first season under Ten Hag. However, the situation changed in October last year when Sancho left the Manchester United squad to watch the FIFA World Cup. He re-joined the team earlier this year in February after completing a winter fitness programme in the Netherlands.
Sancho played a crucial role in Manchester UnitedтАЩs triumphant run in last seasonтАЩs Carabao Cup. He also featured in the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United. The Red Devils had earned a 2-0 win against the Magpies in that game to end their six-year-long trophy drought. The English international netted a total of seven goals while providing three assists during the campaign. Since arriving in England two years ago, Sancho has scored 12 goals in 82 matches for Manchester United across all competitions.
