Jadon Sancho, the Manchester United forward, has expressed his dissatisfaction with his manager Erik ten Hag on social media after being left out of the squad that lost 3-1 to Arsenal on Sunday. Sancho posted a message on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying that he has been a scapegoat for a long time and that there are other reasons for his omission that he will not reveal.
Sancho wrote: “Please don’t believe everything you read! I will not allow people saying things that [are] completely untrue. I have conducted myself in training very well this week. I believe there are other reasons for this matter that I won’t go into, I have been a scapegoat for a long time which isn’t fair!”
The 21-year-old also said that he respects all decisions made by the coaching staff and that he will continue to fight for the badge no matter what. He added: “All I want to do is play football with a smile on my face and contribute to my team. I play with fantastic players and grateful to do so which I know every week is a challenge.”
Ten Hag explains why he dropped Sancho
Ten Hag, who took over from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in January 2023, explained after the game that he dropped Sancho due to his performances in training. He said: “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.”
The Dutchman denied that Sancho was left at home for disciplinary reasons and said that he expected more from him at the top level. He said: “He is a great talent and we have high hopes for him, but he has to show it every day, not just once in a while. He has to be consistent and work hard for the team.”
Ten Hag also defended his decision to pick a bench with little attacking experience, including debutant Rasmus Højlund, Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Pellistri. He said: “We have a big squad and we have to rotate sometimes. We have some injuries and some players who need rest. We trust all our players and we give them opportunities to prove themselves.”
Sancho’s struggles at Manchester United
Sancho joined Manchester United in July 2021 in a high-profile £73m move from Borussia Dortmund, where he had scored 50 goals and provided 64 assists in 137 appearances. However, he has failed to live up to the expectations at Old Trafford, scoring only seven goals and providing 12 assists in 54 appearances.
Sancho has also lost his place in the England squad, where he was once considered one of the brightest prospects. He has not played for his country since November 2022, when he came on as a substitute in a 2-0 win over Albania in the World Cup qualifiers.
Sancho’s future at Manchester United is now uncertain, as he seems unhappy with his situation and his relationship with his manager. Some reports suggest that he could seek a move away from the club in the next transfer window, with some of his former suitors still interested in him.
