Erik ten Hag insisted it’s a ‘disciplinary issue’ with Jadon Sancho as he spoke to the media about the forward’s situation.
It’s been quite a month for Manchester United, with many segments mocking the club for ‘releasing more statements than wins’ since the season began. The Red Devils continue to embroil themselves in PR nightmares, with some of their players catching the attention of the public domain.
After their defeat to Arsenal before the break, Antony became the subject of intense scrutiny following the allegations of assault. He was subsequently dropped from the Brazilian side, and then Manchester United followed up by releasing a statement insisting the forward would not return to the club until further notice.
By the time the Antony issue cooled down a bit, the Jadon Sancho situation emerged to the forefront to force Manchester United into releasing another statement. The problem with the English winger seems more disciplinary than anything, and the reasons have been public knowledge.
Ten Hag did not select Sancho in his squad for the Arsenal clash and then, after the game, told the media the winger needs to be training better. Sancho immediately took to social media to post his response, which has since caused a stir between the player and manager.
Erik ten Hag on Antony/Sancho cases: “Strict lines is what the club asked me because there was no good culture before last season”. 🔴 #MUFC
“So it’s important to to set good standards, that is what I did and it is my job to control the standards”.
“Team is above everything”. pic.twitter.com/pwjEanmmJL
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 15, 2023
During his press conference ahead of the clash with Brighton, Ten Hag was busy answering questions regarding the duo. Here, the focus was more on Sancho than Antony, as Ten Hag’s comments that Fabrizio Romano tweeted stressed more in maintaining discipline and also clarifying that Sancho’s offence probably wasn’t his first mistake.
Ten Hag said, “Strict lines is what the club asked me because there was no good culture before last season”.
“So it’s important to set good standards, that is what I did, and it is my job to control the standards”. “Team is above everything”.
“Of course, it is never someone only makes one mistake, it is a whole process before you come to a certain outcome about strict lines. If staff or players or whoever, there is a structure to cross lines so you have to be strong.”
Manchester United faces shortages in their attacking personnel ahead of the next few games as they take on Brighton on Saturday. They will also return to the Champions League to face Bayern Munich. With Antony and Sancho seemingly out until further notice, Ten Hag must find ways to shore up his wing areas.
New striker Rasmus Hojlund can provide them with a unique style in the final third, but the right wing seems more vulnerable. As things stand, Ten Hag can use the likes of Alejandro Garnacho, Anthony Martial or Facundo Pellistri in that role, as his selection against Brighton will say a lot about the immediate future of that role.
