In Focus: Ten Hag can get Sancho shining again

Jadon Sancho could be the next player to benefit from Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United revival. 

The 22-year-old Englishman arrived at Old Trafford in the summer of 2021 for £72million but has struggled to replicate his blistering Borussia Dortmund form.

After the best part of three months out of the United team, the youngster scored on his Premier League return in a 2-2 draw against Leeds in midweek.

Ahead of the Red Devils' trip to face the Whites again this afternoon, we look at how the England man can kick-start his United career.

Losing prominence 

Sancho's underwhelming form has continued in 2022-23 despite the fact that United have otherwise been firing on all cylinders.

He has featured for just 753 minutes in the Premier League, contributing three goals and one assist. The Englishman has created 17 chances for his team-mates, as well as completing eight take-ons. 

Those are respectable numbers at best and certainly not of the standard he was brought in to produce. These shortcomings are reflected in the lack of opportunities Ten Hag has afforded Sancho. 

The Dutchman has almost exclusively used a 4-2-3-1 shape and Sancho is not one of his favoured front four. 

Antony and Marcus Rashford are ahead of him in the pecking order, with even young pair Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Pellistri competing for minutes.

The numbers don't lie

Ten Hag headed into this weekend flying high in third.

The Red Devils have won 13, drawn four and lost five of the 21 games they have played so far in 2022-23, a clear improvement on recent seasons. 

This run of positive results has strengthened Ten Hag’s hand as he seeks to stamp his authority at Old Trafford. 

Sancho will have to impress the Dutchman on the training ground and take his opportunities if he is to force his way into a team that is functioning well despite his absence.

Green shoots 

It does seem that Sancho has begun to mount a comeback, though. 

He spent the winter period in the Netherlands rather than travelling to Spain with the rest of the squad in order to work on his recovery. 

That period saw the playmaker work on both physical and mental issues in a bid to reset a high-pressure move that has not gone to plan. And it seems to be paying off. 

Sancho played his first minutes since October in United's win over Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup last week and followed that up with a vital 70th-minute equaliser against Leeds on Wednesday.

The Englishman will hope to use these cameos as a launch pad for both the rest of this season and his career at the club.

In his hands 

Speaking in the aftermath of their draw, Ten Hag revealed that Sancho still has a chance to resurrect his career at Old Trafford. 

He said: "I am very happy. [Sancho] is on the way back. We know he is a magnificent football player.

"He can definitely make a big impact for our team. Tonight he did, but we know he can make a consistent impact. He has to work very hard — we all do — and at this moment he is in a good mood.

"I think it will strengthen him, motivate him to give even more [because] then you will get more. He is a brilliant footballer and I really enjoyed that second goal, especially for him."