Erik ten Hag has stated that Jadon Sancho might start the season as Manchester United’s center striker, replacing the injured Rasmus Hojlund.
Hojlund is expected to miss six weeks due to a hamstring injury sustained during the opening game of the U.S. tour versus Arsenal. Sancho, who returned to the team after a 10-month sabbatical, started as the No. 9 in Wednesday’s 3-2 win over Real Betis and Saturday’s 3-0 loss to Liverpool. And Ten Hag believes he might start at center-forward against Manchester City in the Community Shield next week, as well as against Fulham on the first weekend of the Premier League season, ahead of new recruit Joshua Zirkzee.
“Yes, otherwise we wouldn’t play with him there,” Ten Hag said when asked whether Sancho might start up front against City at Wembley.
“That is what we can do if Rasmus is unavailable, but Joshua Zirkzee is coming in and has begun training, keep in mind that he has only been training for a short time, so it will take some time, and he must also adjust to English football and our style of play.
“There’s also Jadon, who plays as a striker. We know he can play wide, but he also works well as a false striker.”
Zirkzee, a £36.5 million acquisition from Bologna, has yet to practice with the team after returning to Carrington after his summer holiday rather than joining the American tour. Sancho, who returned to United after spending the second part of last season on loan at Borussia Dortmund, hasn’t scored a competitive goal for the club since May 2023.
Marcus Rashford is another possibility to cover Hojlund’s absence, but Ten Hag has suggested that the England attacker will continue to play on the left.
“I think that Marcus has done it played as a striker before and he can do it, and it’s definitely an option,” Ten Hag said.
“But I believe he is most effective from the left, beginning wide and moving inside. So when he gets there, he is most effective. We have other possibilities. We have Bruno Fernandes who can also play as a striker.”
Last season, United struggled for goals, scoring 57 times in the Premier League and finishing as the joint-lowest scorer in the top half.
Ten Hag’s squad also squandered opportunities in Saturday’s loss to Liverpool in South Carolina, with Sancho, Rashford, Scott McTominay, and Mason Mount all unable to capitalize.
“Liverpool played well and took their chances,” Ten Hag added. “We also generated fantastic opportunities, but we did not take them. We need to be more clinical and efficient.
“I believe it comes down to weariness. We’ve been in the United States for 12 or 13 days, and it was a difficult game. Perhaps you miss the freshness and lack the ability to be clinical.”
What does Erik ten Hag say about Sancho?
Speaking to the media before of United’s match against Crystal Palace on Monday, Ten Hag said: “So let’s say this, yesterday Sancho played very well, and he’s a very good player.” Yesterday, he demonstrated why Manchester United purchased him and how valuable he is to the club, which is wonderful.
