16 January 2023 , 22:54
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Jadon Sancho has been told to follow the example of Manchester United youngster Alejandro Garnacho amid ongoing fitness struggles for the £73million-man.
The England international is yet to feature for the Red Devils since club football resumed following the World Cup break and boss Erik ten Hag publicly confirmed the reason behind Sancho's absence was due to the player struggling ‘physically and mentally’.
Instead of joining the rest of his United team-mates in Spain for a mid-season training camp during the World Cup, Sancho underwent a personal training programme in the Netherlands under the guidance of coaches personally recommended by Ten Hag. While he is now back in Manchester, it remains unclear when the Old Trafford faithful will see the winger line-up once again.
The last sighting of Sancho in the red of United came back in October and though Ten Hag has kept calm in the face of calls to Integrate the 22-year-old back into the side, Danny Murphy has called on the former Borussia Dortmund ace to take some inspiration from Garnacho.
"The performance of Alejandro Garnacho [in the 2-1 win over Manchester City ] on such a big stage… [he] was a revelation when he came on," Murphy told the Daily Mail.
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"Not many 18-year-olds could handle the occasion with a combination of maturity and fearlessness. If I was Jadon Sancho, I’d be looking at him and United’s performances as motivation.
Man Utd forward Jadon Sancho hasn't featured for the Red Devils since October (Getty Images)HAVE YOUR SAY! Will Sancho turn things around at Man Utd? Comment below
"I wouldn’t write him- [Sancho] off as Ten Hag seems to be the type of manager who will give him a chance," he added. "It seems that Sancho’s issues are physical rather than in terms of ability. With the right mindset, he can be ready to help the team."
Sancho could still play a vital part in United's season as the Red Devils enjoy a bright run of form that sees them sit fourth in the table, one point behind local rivals City.
Up next for United is the tricky test of Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, a ground that saw the Red Devils fall to a 1-0 defeat on the last day of last season.
Ten Hag was in the crowd that day and has overseen a remarkable amount of change in that time, bringing in a number of players that have transformed United's fortunes in seven months.
While Sancho has struggled to make much of an impact under the Dutchman bar a brief purple patch early on in Ten Hag's rein, the likes of Casemiro, Antony and Garnacho all being introduced to the fold either via transfers or promotion to the first-team.