‘Lucky’ - What Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag said about Jadon Sancho in opening weeks of Old Trafford reign

Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho will train away from the first team at Old Trafford following a public fallout with manager Erik ten Hag.

The former Borussia Dortmund player was left out of the 3-1 loss at Arsenal earlier this month, with Ten Hag putting that down to the player’s performances in training.

However, the Englishman publicly rejected that claim, as he posted on social media: “I will not allow people saying things that is completely untrue, I have conducted myself very well in training this week.

“I believe there are other reasons for this matter that I won’t go into, I’ve been a scapegoat for a long time which isn’t fair!”

A United statement on Thursday read: “Jadon Sancho will remain on a personal training programme away from the first-team group, pending resolution of a squad discipline issue.”

Sancho moved to United from Dortmund for £73m in 2021 but has struggled to replicate the form he produced in Germany. Ten Hag made the move to Old Trafford last summer and was asked in one of his early press conferences if a front four of Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Bruno Fernandes and Anthony Martial would line up in the club’s first game of the season.

The Dutchman responded by saying he was ‘lucky’ to have such options at his disposal.

He said: “It can be. You see they connect really good together and I think when you see that, you are lucky as a manager. The team is lucky. We have a threat, we have weapons. We have to improve that every day and develop that further.”

However, at one point last season Ten Hag said Sancho was not fit enough to play as he battled injury problems. He returned for the Carabao Cup semi-final win over Nottingham Forest at the start of February and then scored the equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Leeds United at Old Trafford a week later.

It was his first goal since September and Ten Hag said after the game: “I am pleased and proud he did it. It is clear it is a difficult period but he finds himself out and he needs credit for that. He is a brilliant footballer and if he can invest in the right levels he can be outstanding. I will back him, the coaches will and the team will but finally he has to do it himself.”

He added: “We know he is a magnificent football player and he can consistently have a big impact, but he has to work every day very hard. I enjoyed it [his goal].”

Sancho has made just three substitute appearances this season and it is unclear if he will feature against Brighton and Hove Albion this weekend.