Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, has provided clarification on his decision to exclude Jadon Sancho from the squad for the Premier League opener against Fulham on Friday.
Following the 1-0 victory at Old Trafford, Ten Hag mentioned that the forward was suffering from an ear infection.
Sancho was completely omitted from the squad, a situation reminiscent of when he was left out of the Arsenal match last season, leading to a public dispute with Ten Hag that resulted in him being sidelined from the team.
However, the Dutchman cited different reasons for Sancho’s absence this time.
“To begin with, squad depth is crucial. With a long season ahead, fitness will be key, and even though I can only select 20 players for the squad, Jadon had an ear infection earlier in the week which affected his fitness level,” Ten Hag explained.