Manchester United will benefit from Jadon Sancho’s omission from Gareth Southgate’s England squad.
According to The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell, the winger remaining in Carrington during this international break is good news for Erik ten Hag.
Speaking about the situation, the coach said after the match:
“We can be specific. That can be beneficial to continue the season. We know that, after this break, there will be a game every three days”.
As Whitwell noted, Sancho has responded well to Ten Hag’s coaching methods as he looks poised to surpass last season’s goal tally and establish himself as a crucial player at Old Trafford.
He has scored three goals in eight appearances so far and has been a key feature of all of the new boss’s competitive line-ups this season.
His versatility has also been something his manager has explored in the early stages of the season, with the Englishman lining up on both flanks and playing as the farthest attacker on a couple of occasions within matches.
Sancho’s positional flexibility could be one aspect for further exploration during this intermission, with his successes on the pitch seen both in Moldova and earlier against Southampton.
Bruno Fernandes’ winning goal came with Sancho in the forward position according to the coach, and that could be an interesting option in the future.
It’s one of the many ways that this extra time in training camp could prove “almost beneficial,” and Whitwell suggests that Ten Hag will be able to talk to Sancho on a more individual level than is normally possible about his wishes.
The United star’s omission from the England squad may well hurt. Jarrod Bowen and Jack Grealish appear to be in worse shape than Sancho, but they were still added to a team that includes 12 defenders. Southgate even named Rashford and not Sancho as someone who could force him back into the World Cup squad.
But judging by the winger’s enthusiastic celebration after his goal against Sheriff Tiraspol, there is no doubt that Sancho will be keen to use this time in a positive way.
