Erik ten Hag said he had to exclude Jadon Sancho from the Manchester United team because he needs to set strict lines as there was “no good culture” at Old Trafford before his appointment.
The £73m winger will not be selected and is not training with the first-team squad as he awaits the outcome of an internal disciplinary process after he was omitted from the squad for the 3-1 defeat to Arsenal when Ten Hag questioned his efforts in training.
Sancho responded with a tweet saying Ten Hag’s comments were “completely untrue” and accused the Dutchman of making him a scapegoat.
But the United manager suggested it was not the England international’s first indiscretion as he claimed he would not punish someone for a lone mistake.
Ten Hag also showed his toughness last season when he dropped Cristiano Ronaldo and left Marcus Rashford on the bench after the Mancunian overslept and was late for a meeting.
And he explained: “Strict lines is the point, it is what the club asked me because there was no good culture before I entered last season.
“So to set good standards, that is what I did. That is my job: to control the standards. Of course, it is never someone only makes one mistake, it is a whole process before you come to a certain outcome about strict lines. If [it is] staff or players or whoever, there is a structure to cross lines so you have to be strong.”
United will be without Sancho and fellow winger Antony, who has been given a leave of absence while he addresses allegations against him, for Saturday’s match against in-form Brighton but Ten Hag insisted: “The squad is strong, in good spirits and a good mood going into the game. You have sometimes setbacks in seasons, players who are injured or for other reasons are not available, so you construct a squad and the squad is very good and the players who are available and motivated to give a good performance.”
Antony is on a leave of absence from the club— (REUTERS)
Ten Hag also came to the defence of former captain Harry Maguire after he was ridiculed by Scotland fans during England’s 3-1 win on Tuesday, when he scored an own goal.
England manager Gareth Southgate said the treatment of the defender was “a joke” and Maguire’s mother branded it “unacceptable”.
And Ten Hag added: “It is disrespectful He doesn’t deserve it. He is a great player and gives great performances. It is crazy but how it works. Harry has to block this.”
Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof are available to face Brighton but Mason Mount and Raphael Varane remain out, though both should be back soon.
