Jadon Sancho finally back together Manchester United after being sidelined for more than three months. Manager Erik ten Hag happy with the return of the 22-year winger.
Sancho entered in the 62nd minute to replace Antony when MU beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 in the second leg of the English League Cup semifinal, Thursday (2/2/2023) early morning WIB at Old Trafford. Action on the field can be said not too much.
He only touched the ball 15 times, then released 11 accurate passes from 14 attempts. Even so, he played a role in the process of creating MU’s second goal.
His pass to Bruno Fernandes on the right was then turned into a cross into the penalty box which Marcus Rashford received. The 25-year-old striker then sent a mature pass which Fred completed in front of the Nottingham goal.
Sancho’s presence was welcomed by MU fans who gave him applause. He smiled with Ten Hag on the sidelines just before coming on. The manager is also happy that his players are contributing again.
“We had to make a lot of compromises this season. Hopefully now those who have returned can continue to be available to play,” Ten Hag told Sky Sports after the game.
“If you want to win a trophy, you need the presence of all the players. You see, we can bring something fresh from the bench,” explained the Dutch manager.
MU’s two goals in this match only came when MU introduced the trio of Sancho, Rashford and Anthony Martial in the second half. Sancho played a part in the process of the second goal, Martial scored the first goal, and Rashford was always present in the process of the two goals.
Prior to this match, Sancho last played for MU on October 22 in the match against Chelsea in the Premier League. After that, he was no longer fielded because he was considered not in the best condition.
During the 2022 World Cup break, Sancho was sent to the Netherlands and underwent private training to recover physically and mentally. Ten Hag said he would return to playing Sancho when the conditions were right. He proved that against Nottingham.
(adp/bay)
