Manchester United forward Jadon Sancho says Erik ten Hag has lifted the fog of confusion surrounding Old Trafford.
The England international confirmed there is a new-found clarity at the club after their third successive victory following a troubled start to the campaign. Sancho has started in every Premier League game so far and his own form is picking up after he bagged the winner against Leicester on Thursday night.
That made it two in three and Sancho believes the team is delivering what the new Dutch boss wants. Asked how the side has orchestrated the upturn in fortune, Sancho replied: “We’ve just stuck to the game-plan. It’s as the manager wants, every session we’re getting better.
“We’re gelling well, we playing more in his style and everyone is loving it at the moment. We have a style of play, some of it is just understanding the intelligence of our players, we’re getting to know each other. We have more information now - a clearer plan of what to do - especially in some areas of the pitch. And everyone on the pitch is putting in 100 per cent. We’re putting it in - and we have to keep giving that to get results.”
The debacle at the Brentford Community Stadium was a wake-up call. Since then, three wins on the spin - allied to impressive swoops in the transfer market - have quietened the chorus of disapproval that swirled around Ten Hag and his expensively-assembled squad. The players were sent out on a good old-fashioned run as punishment. Sancho added: “We felt we just had to wake up after the Brentford game. We had to do it.
“We shouldn’t have been losing like that. Everyone just took it as extra running and more fitness and after that, we’ve just got on with it. We’ve got three wins in a row now. We have to keep it going.” Sancho himself is also gearing up. He's played a full part, scoring twice in three consecutive matches - the first time the club has won recorded that feat since April 2021.
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He said: “That’s a long time for a club like this. It’s been welcome but the most important thing is the team playing well, when the team plays well, individual moments do come to light so I just have to keep up this form. I would say I have still got more to come but I feel good - like I’m in a good moment on and off the pitch.” Ten Hag was pleased with the clean sheet, keen to impress that the situation was improving but at the same time stressing that this team was by no means the finished article.
Ten Hag said: “Collectively, I’ve seen the whole team is defending. So, that makes it easier for our defenders. What they do now is cooperate. They do it together. They support each other. If they have a good performance, then it’s difficult for our opponents to create chances. I think that’s what you’re seeing at the moment. I’ve seen some good stuff. The structures are coming. We’re constructing them. It’s good to see that. It’s about the formation, creating lines and making the right decisions on the ball. Out of possession, we are still making good steps but there’s still a lot of room for improvement.”
Unbeaten Arsenal travel to Old Trafford on Sunday evening, and the Dutchman believes the Gunners are a team who have bought into what boss Mikel Arteta wants. He added: “I’ve seen them. They are tough opponents. As we know, they’ve started really well.This is a team that is together with the coach. You can see his philosophy. We will pick the right XI to start the game. It’s not only a team. We have a squad.”
