How will Erik ten Hag get the best out of Jadon Sancho?

After moving to Old Trafford last summer, Jadon Sancho had a somewhat difficult debut season, but how will Erik ten Hag get the best out of him this season?

Manchester United have already looked like a new dynamic outfit in pre-season and Sancho is expected to be a big part of their plans going forward. 

With uncertainty currently surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo, it seems as if United’s new look front three could be the way forward. 

 

What is his best position? 

Sancho is comfortable playing off either flank and throughout his career, he has been utilised on both sides. 

The 22-year-old has played 50.9% of the games throughout his career on the lefthand side and 37.8% on the right. 

This would suggest that he is a little more experienced in playing off the left and this is where Erik ten Hag could see his future. 

Manchester United have made their interest in Ajax winger Antony no secret, which could also hint toward Sancho playing on the left. 

Last season he was moved throughout the forward line and he played 48% of his matches for United on the left. 

Sancho produced six goal contributions last season and five of them came when he was playing on the left side. 

As he is able to cut inside from this position and get shots off with his right foot, he is a bigger goal threat when he is able to cut inside. 

Erik ten Hag is also a fan of inverted wingers.  

Take his Ajax side for example, Antony would operate on the right as an inverted winger and Dusan Tadic played the same role on the right. 

 

His contribution last season 

Sancho ultimately only started in 55% of Manchester United’s Premier League games last season as he racked up 1904 minutes in total. 

Though he did showcase glimpses of his talent throughout the season, he didn’t get close to replicating the form he had previously showcased at Dortmund. 

During his final season in Germany, Sancho produced 19 goal involvements and averaged 2.6 key passes and three dribbles per 90. 

At Manchester United, these numbers were both slashed in half as he managed 1.4 key passes and 1.6 dribbles per 90. 

The change from the Bundesliga to the Premier League is one factor to consider here, but also Manchester United’s lack of attacking patterns which seriously hindered Sancho last season. 

Sancho’s most productive season for Dortmund came in 2019/20 when he scored 17 goals and got 16 assists in the Bundesliga. 

Sancho took on more shots this season than ever before with 1.6 per 90 and he was the Bundesliga’s biggest xG overperformer this season with an overperformance of 7.7 goals. 

In total he scored 17 goals from just 52 shots, which was an unbelievable clinical return. 

 

What Manchester United’s new forward line could look like 

With Cristiano Ronaldo seeing his future away from Old Trafford, there’s every chance that we get to see a front three of Jadon Sancho, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford starting the season. 

The problem Man United have with this potential front three is the lack of a left-footed option to cut inside from the right, which could mean that Sancho is deployed in this position again.  

Martial only played 210 minutes of Premier League football last season before he was shipped out on loan, but a promising pre-season may be enough to convince Erik ten Hag to give him a chance this season.  

Marcus Rashford also struggled for form last season, although he could be a nice fit into the new system. 

Rashford only scored four Premier League goals last season, which was his worst ever return for United in the Premier League. 

As he was moved around to accommodate Cristiano Ronaldo, Rashford only took 0.9 shots per 90 which was significantly less than the 2.1 shots he averaged in the season prior to Ronaldo’s arrival. 

If he can recapture his form this season, then Man United’s new trio could cause some problems for Premier League defenders.