Despite cameo appearances against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur, and Nottingham Forest, Sancho was conspicuously absent from the squad during the fourth gameweek against Arsenal. With Rasmus Hojlund and Anthony Martial as options for Ten Hag in central positions, Marcus Rashford and Antony were deployed on the wings, while Hannibal Mejbri, Daniel Gore, Alejandro Garnacho, and Facundo Pellistri waited on the bench.
Although Rashford managed to break the deadlock with a swift counter-attack, Arsenal's Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, and Gabriel Jesus orchestrated a thrilling 3-1 comeback victory, marking the Red Devils' second away loss of the season. In the post-match interview, Ten Hag explained that Sancho's absence was a result of his subpar training performances and tactical considerations.
However, Sancho disputed his manager's remarks on social media, alleging that he has been unfairly singled out as a "scapegoat" during his tumultuous two years in Manchester.
According to the Daily Mail, Ten Hag and Sancho are scheduled for a face-to-face meeting to address their recent verbal sparring, with the coach seeking to clear the air with the English attacker.
The report also refutes claims of preferential treatment towards Antony, who previously played under Ten Hag at Ajax and has delivered underwhelming performances on the right flank.
Ten Hag believes that Sancho can put in more effort during training sessions, and The Guardian reports that the club supports the coach in this regard. Allegedly, Ten Hag has been dissatisfied with Sancho's training performances for several weeks, potentially leading to internal disciplinary actions. Sancho notably took time off during the winter to recover from physical and psychological challenges, during which Ten Hag assigned him coaches in the Netherlands.
However, Ten Hag is now reportedly dissatisfied with Sancho's attitude at Carrington since his return to first-team duty, raising questions about his long-term future at Old Trafford.
Sancho has managed only 12 goals and six assists in 82 matches for Manchester United, whereas he contributed to 114 goals in 137 appearances during his tenure at Borussia Dortmund, scoring 50 goals and providing 64 assists.
The Englishman remains under contract at the Theatre of Dreams until 2026, with the option of an additional 12 months.
