Man Utd players 'concerned' about Erik ten Hag methods as blunt Jadon Sancho decision made

Manchester United fans were left disappointed on Sunday after seeing their side lose 3-1 at Manchester City. Marcus Rashford opened the scoring with an excellent effort but Phil Foden and Erling Haaland condemned the Reds to a second straight league defeat for the first time since September.

Erik ten Hag has the benefit of a full week to recover and prepare for Saturday's visit of Everton to Old Trafford, but the Dutchman will be sweating on the fitness of some key players. In the meantime, ManchesterWorld has rounded up some of the latest headlines coming out of the club.

Ten Hag 'concern'

Some United players are thought to be concerned about the physical demands being placed on them by Ten Hag amid a worsening injury crisis. The Manchester Evening News reports that a 'minority' of stars believe the Dutchman's intensity is becoming too much during another congested campaign.

United were without nine senior players for Sunday's derby and lost Marcus Rashford and Jonny Evans to further issues during the defeat. They have now suffered 47 separate cases of injury or illness, with many of the former issue muscular.

Ten Hag places huge physical demands on his players in a bid to make them one of the Premier League's fittest teams, but that could be contributing to the injury crisis. The fixture schedule has eased in the new year, with elimination from the FA Cup and Champions League reducing the number of midweek action.

Sancho decision

United have reportedly told Jadon Sancho they want rid of him for good after sending him out on loan in January. HITC reports that they are set for talks with temporary club Borussia Dortmund over a permanent deal in the summer.

Sancho joined Dortmund on loan for the remainder of the season after falling out with Ten Hag. The 23-year-old is keen to rebuild his career with the Bundesliga club, having enjoyed his best form with them before joining United for £73m in 2021.

The report does add that Dortmund would prefer another season-long loan deal come summer, inserting an option to make it permanent in 2025. Whether United will agree to that remains to be seen.