Sancho was back in the Man Utd squad for the first time in 102 days during the 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford.
On a night when Manchester United reached a domestic cup final for the first time in six years one of the loudest cheers of the night was reserved for a substitute. The return of Jadon Sancho raised the roof at Old Trafford.
When the winger was called back by Erik ten Hag just before the hour mark against Nottingham Forest, with United cruising to Wembley, he was given some intense final instructions from his manager before a clench of the first that showed how desperate he was for Sancho to make an impact.
His first foray down the touchline to warm up in the first half had been greeted with warm applause and chants of ‘Sancho, Sancho’ from the Stretford End. His arrival on the pitch in place of Antony raised the decibel levels considerably.
Sancho ran on with a huge smile on his face and was greeted with more encouragement from Bruno Fernandes. It was a sign of how badly United wanted the 22-year-old to perform and show that confidence of old.
That megawatt smile was a contrast to the last time he was seen at the club, when the weight of the world looked to be on his shoulders. The last time he had been involved at Old Trafford he sat slumped on the bench, an unused substitute against West Ham with Gareth Southgate sat 30 feet away in the directors’ box. He was an afterthought for club and country.
It was 102 days since Sancho had last played for United, at Stamford Bridge on October 22, in which time his team had won 14 of their 17 competitive games – and there had been a World Cup in there as well.
Sancho’s omission from that 26-man squad for Qatar garnered very little attention and wasn’t a surprise in the slightest, which probably says it all about how far he had fallen in 18 months.
When United spent £73million on the then-21-year-old England winger it didn’t seem inconceivable that the international team would be built around him by the time the World Cup arrived. Instead, he was in a remote town in the Netherlands desperately searching for his mojo while the tournament took place without him.
It hadn’t been a direct route to rock bottom at Old Trafford for Sancho. His difficulties last season were well-documented but he was unfortunate to be thrust into an underperforming side and a fractured dressing room. As one of the brand-new toys last season, the spotlight fell on his performances when the team failed to click.
It’s an interesting contrast with Antony, who has come in at an even bigger price tag and is similarly struggling to adapt in his first season. The fact United are winning now under Ten Hag is giving him the freedom to find his feet.
That wasn’t afforded to Sancho but there was a hope that the arrival of Ten Hag would bring the best out of him, much as the Dutchman’s attention to detail and coaching acumen has returned Marcus Rashford to levels he had long since failed to scale.
The signs were promising in pre-season and after three goals in his first eight games, but then came, well, nothing. The winger’s form nosedived again and his 52 minutes at Stamford Bridge essentially made him unselectable for Ten Hag. It was a player who had lost form and confidence.
There were also fitness issues that Ten Hag felt needed addressing and it was a bulkier Sancho that returned to Old Trafford on Wednesday. He has looked a little stronger in pictures from Carrington recently and after weeks working with coaches cherry-picked by Ten Hag, there is a confidence he is now ready for the demands of this team.
He will have more eye-catching contributions to the cause than this between now and the end of the season, but the sight of him back and seemingly enjoying his football was the most pleasing aspect. When the final whistle went Sancho lingered on the Old Trafford pitch, clapping every stand on his way off. This was a player grateful for the support but equally delighted to be back doing what he loves.
