Erik ten Hag sends message to Jadon Sancho after United return
Jadon Sancho would have entered the game for Manchester United against Crystal Palace had Casemiro not been dismissed.
Last week, Sancho made his first appearance in 102 days in the second leg of the League Cup semi-final victory over Nottingham Forest.
Ten Hag had planned to use him against Palace in the Premier League.
However, after Casemiro was sent off in the 70th minute, Ten Hag was forced to make defensive adjustments as United protected their lead and climbed to third place in the standings.
Ten Hag is encouraged by Sancho’s adaptability after three weeks of training with the United squad.”It’s good. We have seen last week he came in and did really well.
“It was also a pity, it was one of the consequences of the sending off of Casemiro [that] I can’t bring him on because we had to make other subs. I planned to bring him on so that was also a setback for him.
“We are very happy with a win over Crystal Palace. It gives good and shows the very good spirit in the team and gives definitely also the team more encouragement and more motivation and more confidence but it was bad in a lot of aspects.”
Sancho is in contention to make his first Premier League start since October 22 against Leeds United, the team against which he made his United debut last season, on Wednesday night due to Antony’s injury.
United, who are third in the Premier League, are in the League Cup final, have advanced to the fifth round of the FA Cup, and will travel to Barcelona next week for the first leg of their Europa League play-off.
United appointed Ten Hag to a three-year contract with a one-year extension option, but there is already optimism among fans that he will provide them with the managerial stability they have lacked since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down in 2013.
“I don’t think about that,” Ten Hag shrugged. “I always think about the long-term in every club I was. I have been thinking long-term, to build a culture, to build a way to play, to develop players and develop the team.
“I think in the long-term also in contract, in windows because I think that is the way, so thinking for the long-term and acting in the long way, so I stayed also with many clubs a long time. So I am not here for one year, I am longer.
“I see it as a long-term project to build here and how long it is I have to see. Today you can’t tell.”
Erik ten Hag sends message to Jadon Sancho after United return
