Erik ten Hag gives instructions to Jadon Sancho at Manchester United
Erik ten Hag gives instructions to Jadon Sancho at Manchester United
Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho was torn to shreds by pundit Jamie Carragher during Chelsea's heavy 3-0 defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League.
Sancho started the game as a substitute but was introduced to the proceedings early in the first half following an injury to Noni Madueke. Despite his early introduction, it was a night to forget for the winger and his colleagues at Chelsea as they were handily beaten by Brighton.
The result was sealed with 63 minutes on the clock when Yankuba Minteh played an easy one-two with Danny Welbeck before slotting the ball home at the near post. A perplexed Carragher, who was commentating on the match for Sky Sports, could not believe what he was seeing from Sancho and his teammate Marc Cucurella for the goal.
"They've battered Chelsea. Chelsea are unhappy about a slight foul on [Levi] Colwill by Danny Welbeck," he exclaimed. "I don't think there's too much in it. I think it'll be fine.
"I think Minteh's got his goal. That just sums up the difference in the two teams. It's absolutely nothing, just get up and get on with the game. Just see Sancho with Minteh at the top of your picture, the one-two and just watch Sancho... I mean, where's he going?
"And he goes inside Cucurella, awful defending from the left-back again. Minteh has the potential to be a real star, but the intensity on that side from Cucurella and Sancho was awful."
Another sub-par display from the former England international will be seen as further evidence that United and Erik ten Hag made the right decision letting Sancho go. In September 2023, the winger was banished from training after branding himself a 'scapegoat' after Ten Hag expressed that the forward had not been picked to face Arsenal due to his application in training.
Sancho was rushed out on loan in January 2024 to Borussia Dortmund and featured in their Champions League final, but the German side did not have the resources to complete a deal at the end of the season. While Ten Hag was thought to have buried the hatchet with the winger last summer, a loan with an obligation to buy was agreed with Chelsea on deadline day to all but end Sancho's affiliation with the Reds.
However, this did not stop him from stirring the pot recently when he commented: 'Freedom,' underneath Marcus Rashford's Instagram post following his move to Aston Villa on loan this winter. This season, Sancho has bagged two goals and six assists in 23 appearances.
His most recent goal contribution was at the beginning of January during the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace in the Premier League.