Sancho’s direct messages to Rasfhord and Fernandes speak volumes

Jadon Sancho has shown the benefit of his midseason break by scoring his second goal of 2023 for Manchester United, and his relationship with team-mates Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford appears stronger than ever.

England winger Sancho missed out on a spot in his country’s World Cup squad after an up-and-down start to the season under Erik ten Hag. The United boss sent the player on an individual training programme in the Netherlands while other members of the first-team played midseason friendlies, and he was not welcomed back to the fold immediately.

The former Borussia Dortmund star finally returned to first-team action in February, coming off the bench against Nottingham Forest in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup. Since then, he has scored twice in the league, with the second of those goals coming against Leicester on Sunday.

Sancho made his first Premier League appearance in nearly four months when he played half an hour at home to Leeds, scoring United’s equaliser just 10 minutes after leaving the bench. After two starts, he returned to the bench for the Leicester game on Sunday before coming on at the start of the second half and netting just after the hour mark.

Following the game, the 22-year-old sent messages on Instagram to two-goal hero Rashford and midfielder Fernandes. Portugal international Fernandes set up Sancho’s goal, prompting the scorer to write: “I owe you an assist.” He also posted a picture of Rashford with the caption: “He can’t be stopped!”

As two of the senior figures in the side, Rashford and Fernandes have been key in easing Sancho back into the fold after a tough few months. The £73million signing appears to be playing with confidence, and if he can come anywhere near his Dortmund form, then it will be a huge boost for his club during a key part of the season.

“He’s doing well, but I think there’s much more room for improvement for him because he has so many skills,” Ten Hag said of Sancho back in September. However, with new signing Antony starting quickly and teenager Alejandro Garnacho playing a bigger role, the England man found himself in and out of the team.

After welcoming the player back against Forest, meanwhile, he suggested a new and more central role could offer a way back in. “I think we have done that before. You move Bruno out and create also a different dynamic in the team, that is what we intended to do,” the manager said.

“Jadon, I know he can play as a 10 as well. He can play as a winger, he can play as a 10, but often we mix it around and that is what I like. The position has to be occupied and it’s about the players keeping discipline to do that.”