Jadon Sancho: 'We knew we had to wake up after the Brentford game'

Manchester United winger on the team's winning streak and how earlier 4-0 defeat to Brentford could be a turning point in their season

Jadon Sancho celebrates scoring Manchester United's goal in the 1-0 Premier League victory at Leicester's King Power Stadium on September 1, 2022. PA

Jadon Sancho scores past Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward. EPA

Substitute Cristiano Ronaldo leaps for the ball. EPA

Cristiano Ronaldo takes a tumble. AFP

Manchester United's Dutch manager Erik ten Hag. AFP

Cristiano Ronaldo is still at United on transfer deadline day. Action Images

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers shakes hands with Jamie Vardy after he was substituted. Reuters

Manchester United fans in the stands with a Glazers Out banner. PA

Manchester United's Lisandro Martinez celebrates the win. PA

Casemiro celebrates three points for United. Action Images

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag believes Jadon Sancho can become more prolific following his winner against Leicester City.

The England international was also on the scoresheet in last month's 2-1 win against Liverpool, which kick-started a run of three successive wins for United following a troubled start to the Premier League.

We spoke to the United winger following Thursday night's game at the King Power Stadium.

Sum up your start to the season and your goal threat at the moment

Yeah it has been good. The most important thing is the team playing well. When the team plays well individual moments come to light. I just have to keep up this and hopefully I will.

The turnaround from the Brentford game has been very impressive. What has been said behind closed doors?

We stuck to the game plan as the manager wanted and in every training session we’re working hard to get better and better — so that’s what we’re doing.

There’s maybe a lack of goals in this team at the moment. Do you feel that you can add those goals to your game?

Yes of course. As a forward you always want to create and score goals, I want to help my team, to score and assist.

Do you set yourself targets in terms of goals and assists?

I do have my own targets but I won’t share them.

How do you feel you are combining with the other players up front?

We’re training more together and as you saw from pre-season we’re playing well together. We’re playing in the style which the manager wants. Everyone is loving it at the moment.

LEICESTER CITY RATINGS: Danny Ward – 6 A quiet evening for Kasper Schmeichel’s replacement. Left hideously exposed by his defence for Sancho’s opener. Fielded Eriksen’s speculative effort and was alert to clear Fernandes’s through-ball for Rashford, but had little else to do all evening. Distributed the ball very well. EPA

James Justin – 6 Slow to react to the turnover for Sancho’s opener. Had to deal with a lot of energy down United’s left, hence Tielemans drifted across increasingly to lend him support. Made an important block from Sancho’s shot, but suffered a rush of blood in injury-time when he strode in on goal but smashed well off-target. EPA

Jonny Evans – 7 Bossed Rashford in direct duels but had his attention split by covering for Elanga’s pace and Ndidi’s positional inexperience. Channelled his frustration into physicality before the break but was much calmer in the second period. Read the game well to snuff out United’s limited attacks, including a vital interception to deny Eriksen a late second. Reuters

Wilfred Ndidi – 6 Battled gamely based on his limited experience in the heart of defence. Made a spate of headed clearances but was found wanting organisationally for the game’s key moment. Dealt well with Rashford but found himself asked more questions by Ronaldo’s movement. EPA

Luke Thomas – 5 Gave as good as he got against Elanga in the early exchanges, but was caught out of position for the visitors’ opening goal and went into his shell thereafter. Needed to offer Barnes more attacking support. Getty

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 6 Might have applied more pressure to United’s defenders in a passive opening half, but took more responsibility after the break and led Leicester’s improvement in their best period of the game. Wasted one promising counter with a dreadful wide pass to Barnes. EPA

Youri Tielemans – 4 Seldom got close enough to United’s midfielders. Anonymous for long periods. Played a more withdrawn role after half-time, but generally found himself on the periphery of the game wherever he was situated. AP

Boubakary Soumare – 5 Got the home fans up with a couple of robust challenges but wasn’t alert to Fernandes’s movement in the game’s opening goal. Put his stamp on proceedings more in the second period but was unable to provide thrust through the middle where it was most needed. AFP

James Maddison – 6 Lively early on, closing down United where he could, but had an off-night with his distribution. Grew into the game in the second half and forced a decent save from De Gea with a trademark free-kick. Later wasted a set-piece from a more promising position and blazed over in injury-time. AFP

Harvey Barnes – 6 Faced an on-song Dalot, drew an early booking from the Portuguese and should have asked more questions of his marker over the remainder of the game. Had De Gea briefly panicked with a 25-yard curler. Looked short on confidence. AP

Jamie Vardy – 4 Struggled to have his usual impact against United. Isolated upfront and starved of a supply line, which gave him little chance against the visitors’ solid central pairing of Martinez and Varane. Booked for an overzealous late tackle on Malacia. Reuters

SUBS: Kelechi Iheanacho (Youri Tielemans, 76) – N/A Came on for the final quarter-hour as Brendan Rodgers provided Vardy with much-needed support. Willing running almost translated into a spectacular late own-goal. Getty

Patson Daka (Jamie Vardy, 87) – N/A Might have been introduced earlier when Leicester had more attacking impetus. As it was, had no time at all to impact. Getty

MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: David de Gea 7 - Best moment was a splendid save from a fine, curling, Maddison free-kick on 49 minutes. Another clean sheet another away win. And how he and his team needed both. EPA

Diogo Dalot 8 - Playing his best football of his United career. Surged forward when needed. Pushed wide to the line and made himself available, often pinging the ball infield. Booked for pulling back Barnes but involved in the goal as he hit an early pass to Fernandes. Reuters

Raphael Varane 9 - Playing his best football since joining United. Along with Martinez had Jamie Vardy under control. Perfect positioning throughout the match, reads the game so well and has players around him who complement him and allow the Frenchman to drop off. EPA

Lisandro Martinez 8 - Already comfortable alongside Varane. Took a yellow card for the team after 49 minutes, pulling back the Dewsbury-Hall. Quick feet defending around the box. Covers for Malacia when he moves forward, giving United another man in midfield. EPA

Tyrell Malacia 7 - He’s really good, this kid from Feyenoord. Blocked incoming free-kicks, great control when bringing the ball down. Licence to go as high and wide as he likes in Ten Hag’s system. Booked. Getty Images

Scott McTominay 7 - Playing well enough to keep Casemiro and Fred out of the side. Quality in the first half, not to the same standard in the second. Reuters

Christian Eriksen 6 - Won the ball in the build up to the opening goal. Took a shot himself a few minutes later. He tires in games, but he’s made a solid start to his United career. Reuters

Antony Elanga 6 - Whether he’ll be starting so regularly when new signing Antony plays remains to be seen, but he’s featured heavily so far this season and done OK. EPA

Bruno Fernandes 7 - Another who was very good in the first half; his movement was excellent when United went forward. Defended when needed. Looks so much more motivated than a few weeks back. Sublime ball to Rashford in a late United attack. EPA

Jadon Sancho 7 - Another week, another goal to put his side ahead in the first half, finishing a beautiful move after he ran onto a Rashford ball and took it comfortably around Ward and into the net on 22 minutes. He’s only one short of his goal tally from last season, which shows how underwhelming he was. PA

Marcus Rashford 6 - Came deep and hit a beautiful ball on the turn forward to Elanaga. Perfectly poised to tee up Sancho and put United ahead. Impressive first half but can still be sloppy. Cursed himself after missing an 81st minute chance. Getty Images

SUBS: Casemiro 7 - On for Elanga after 58 and straight into moving the ball forwards to Eriksen. Reuters

Cristiano Ronaldo 7 - On for Sancho after 68 to loud songs of appreciation from the 3,000 travelling fans. Heavily involved. Overhead kick went wide on 83 and hit a shot/cross wide after 84. PA

Fred NA - On for Rashford after 86 charged with helping see out the win, which he did. Gave a foul away, because he’s Fred. Reuters

You’re finishing some great moves off.

The style of play in training is what we’re working on. Some of that you see, some of it is the intelligence of our players, creating and knowing each other well.

Do you feel more freedom under Erik ten Hag than you did previously?

I would say more information, a clearer plan and what to do, especially in some areas of the pitch. Definitely.

That’s the first time there has been three straight United wins since April last year. It’s a long time …

It is a long tine, but every week is going to be a tough and we have to be ready and hopefully keep up this momentum.

That running session after Brentford, what did you all think about it?

We had to do it, we shouldn’t be losing like this, everyone took it as extra running and more fitness and after that we just got on with it.

Do you feel like it might be a decisive day in the season?

Definitely. We knew we had to wake up after the Brentford game, we’ve got three wins in a row now and we have to keep this up and hopefully keep getting some more wins.

Defence?

The defence is playing well, but it’s not just the defence it’s everyone on the pitch, everyone is putting in 100 per cent, we’re working on this on the training pitch and we have to keep giving 100 per cent to get the results.

What are the new players like?

Very good, Casa [Casemiro] has a lot of experience, Licha [Lisandro Martinez], Argentinian, crazy guy, but he’s someone that we needed.

Varane is in form.

100 per cent, he brings a lot of strength, courage, and team spirit, playing with these guys is very nice.

Are these your best moments since joining the club?

I would say I’ve still got more to come, but I feel good, I feel like I’m in a good place at the moment on and off the pitch.

You face a heavyweight clash against Arsenal on Sunday.

They’ve won five out of five so we know Arsenal are going to be a tough game, we’re going to have to be ready, I’m sure the boys will recover now and be ready for Sunday