Jadon Sancho opened his scoring account on loan at Aston Villa with the winner in a 1-0 Europa League victory against Fenerbahce and praised Unai Emery's support
Aston Villa's Jadon Sancho celebrates scoring the opening goal during a Europa League match between Fenerbahce and Aston Villa
Aston Villa's Jadon Sancho celebrates scoring the opening goal during a Europa League match between Fenerbahce and Aston Villa(Image: )
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Jadon Sancho delivered a subtle swipe at his previous Manchester United bosses following the pinnacle moment of his loan spell with Aston Villa. The 25-year-old finally found the net for Unai Emery's team as they defeated Turkish powerhouses Fenerbahce 1-0 in Thursday's Europa League clash.
The victory ensures Villa have secured their place in the competition's last 16 with one fixture remaining. Sancho's 25th-minute header proved decisive in sealing maximum points in Istanbul, with the winger posing a persistent threat before Emery withdrew him late in proceedings.
The United loanee is relishing life under Emery, whom he discussed after the match, before taking a subtle swipe at the Reds. He said: "It's nice to have a manager who backs you and obviously believes in you," in a thingly-veiled dig at his former United bosses before adding: "Again, every opportunity I get, I'm going to try and do 100 per cent, and hopefully I can deliver more goals."
Sancho is evidently thriving from receiving such support, having previously felt marginalised at Old Trafford. The winger notably clashed with former United manager Erik ten Hag, resulting in two separate temporary departures.
Following his return from a stint at Chelsea, Sancho was relegated to a five-man bomb squad and failed to feature in a single match under Ruben Amorim's management.
His deal with the Reds runs out in June, which coincides with the conclusion of his loan at Villa, though United possess the option to extend it by an additional 12 months.
Erik ten Hag and Jadon Sancho
Sancho had a nightmare spell at United and fell out with former boss Erik ten Hag(Image: 2023 Manchester United FC)
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For the time being, he's entirely concentrated on his time at Villa Park. He added: "I just take it day by day in training.
"Obviously, the manager and the team are helping me to get to my best.
"Honestly, I know I can do a lot more. I'm very hard on myself in that aspect. But again, I'm very grateful that I got my first goal for Aston Villa and I hope it continues."
Villa make the trip to Newcastle on Sunday for what looks set to be another challenging away fixture.
They remain third in the Premier League standings after last weekend's shock 1-0 defeat at home to Everton, which has damaged their prospects of catching current table-toppers Arsenal in the title fight.
United, meanwhile, will be looking to carry the momentum from their emphatic win in the Manchester derby when they travel to Arsenal in a tough test this Sunday.
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