Jadon Sancho believes Manchester United look like a "whole different team" under new manager Erik ten Hag ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
Last season was a nightmare for United under ex-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and interim boss Ralf Rangnick, finishing sixth in the league and missing out on Champions League football. They also failed to win silverware for the fifth consecutive year.
Ten Hag, who started work as Rangnick's successor earlier this summer, is enjoying an impressive pre-season campaign. They've recorded comfortable wins against Liverpool, Melbourne Victory and Crystal Palace and take on Aston Villa in Perth on Saturday.
"This pre-season, we have the same players but it just looks like a whole different team and I do think that’s something we’re working on and I feel like we’re getting better," Sancho told United's website. "The manager is big on team-bonding and having fun together and doing things like team dinners and things like that. So, yeah, it’s helping."
The England international added: "The training, especially in pre-season, has been a real positive and all the lads have taken on board what he’s saying; you can see it in the games, we’re creating a lot more chances, keeping the ball more and just making good things out of the style we’re playing."
On Ten Hag's philosophy, Sancho said: "We’ve been having lots of meetings with the manager and understanding how he wants us to play and there’s definitely been a big sign of everyone taking that on board and us producing what he wants to happen.
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"You can see in the games, as I said before, with how we’re playing and there being a lot more structure and opportunities to score, and we’re keeping the ball more too and being effective [with it]."
Sancho, 22, joined United from Borussia Dortmund in a £73million deal 12 months ago. Much was expected of the Manchester City academy graduate following his time in Germany, scoring 38 goals and providing 51 assists in just 104 Bundesliga appearances.
Yet Sancho failed to replicate his form in England, scoring three goals and providing three assists in 29 Premier League outings. United fans are hoping to see the best of the winger this coming season after he found the net against Liverpool and Palace.
Sancho believes he will be more equipped to perform in the Premier League during the next 10 months after getting a full pre-season under his belt. He didn't report to United duty until August last year due to England reaching the final of Euro 2020.
"This is my first pre-season with United because, last year, I had an infection in my ear so I couldn’t do the whole pre-season with the team which was a bit annoying at the time and [meant] a lack of fitness and understanding of how the players play," added Sancho.
"But now, this season, I feel a lot more comfortable and, especially scoring in pre-season, it is a confidence boost for myself and, hopefully, I can take that into the season and keep it going."
