Manchester United forward Jadon Sancho has released a statement disputing the supposed reason why manager Erik ten Hag dropped him against Arsenal over the weekend.
ten Hag‘s side were on the receiving end of a 3-1 defeat against the Gunners on Sunday after what they thought would be the winner was ruled offside and the home team went on to put two late goals past goalkeeper André Onana in the very dying embers of the game.
Moreover, even before the kick-off, there was lots of discussion surrounding the team selection after it was reported that both Sancho and Scott McTominay did not travel with the matchday squad at all despite numerous injuries in several different positions.
Speaking after the full-time whistle, the Dutchman explained that due to “his performance in training we didn’t select him,” adding that “you have to reach the level every day at Manchester United. You can make choices in the front line, so in this game, he wasn’t selected.” Sancho, however, sees it differently.
Sancho’s statement dismissing ten Hag’s reason for dropping him from the squad entirely.
Issuing a response on X, the Man United and England winger said: “Please don’t believe everything you read! I will not allow people saying things that [are] completely untrue. I have conducted myself in training very well this week.
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The 23-year-old “I believe there are other reasons for this matter that I won’t get into, I’ve been a scapegoat for a long time which isn’t fair!”
Sancho went on to insist, “All I want to do is to play football with a smile on my face and contribute to my team. I respect all decisions that are made by the coaching staff, I play with fantastic players and grateful to do so which I know every week is a challenge. I will continue to fight for this badge no matter what!”
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Sancho has failed to nail down a consistent starting spot in the United XI ever since he joined the club in 2021 and it’s safe to say he has struggled to hit the same heights he showed at Borussia Dortmund. Meanwhile, journalist Fabrizio Romano has since reported that the coaching staff have been unhappy with training levels for some time now.
Ten Hag and some of his #mufc staff have not been happy with Jadon Sancho's level of training. Tensions have been around for the past two to three weeks.
Sancho thinks there is something else and those close to him insist he is doing his best.
With ten Hag also supposedly of the belief that he helped the talented young attacker through a difficult period of form and confidence last season, with Sancho having undergone two months of solo training abroad at the end of 2022, it appears there has been some tension between the two for a few weeks.
All that being said, Sancho did impress many fans during pre-season operating in a new role and did actually score against Arsenal during their friendly back in July, so was understandably frustrated not to have featured in the game.
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While it remains to be seen what substance there is to this apparent rift, both the player and his coach will no doubt be hoping he now feels he has a point to prove and fights his way back into the team.
It wasn’t the only moment of tension surrounding the fixture either as club legend turned pundit Roy Keane was reportedly ‘headbutted’ by an Arsenal fan around full-time and had to be separated by security and Sky Sports colleague Micah Richards. Police are now investigating the incident.
Featured Image — Jadon Sancho/Manchester United (via Instagram)
Sport
Salford City FC have been bought out by a new consortium
Danny Jones
Another era beckons for Salford City as a buyout of the Greater Manchester football club by a new consortiumhas been announced.
Well, sort of.
Salford City FC were famously the subject of a joint takeover by Singaporean businessman Peter Lim and members of Manchester United’s Class of ’92 over a decade ago, and now 11 years on from that last milestone moment in their history, the local side has a new administration once again.
It is a fresh chapter for the club, but supporters will be glad to hear that there will also be some continuity and key throughline of consistency among some of those at the top.
Salford City announces that the Club has been acquired by a new ownership group led by David Beckham and Gary Neville, and includes US-based businessman Declan Kelly and Lord Mervyn Davies who will both serve as new Co-Chairs of the Club’s board.
Led by Man United legends Gary Neville and David Beckham, who have been involved with Salford since 2014, the new nine-member consortium consists of the Dream Sports Group – a leading sports technology company based in India – along with a number of other key figures.
One of those is Lord Mervyn Davies, a former Labour MP and Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Small Business, who still serves as a trade envoy between the UK and Sri Lanka.
Another is Irish-American entrepreneur Declan Kelly, who is Chairman and CEO of The Consello Group, a global advisory and investing firm.
While the previous co-owners and fellow Class of ’92 United graduates are no longer shareholders at Moor Lane, it is said they will still play important roles at the club.
As the official statement reads, “The acquisition includes a commitment by the new shareholders to invest significantly in the Club, the team and its facilities”, meaning there will funds will likely be sweet aside not only for some healthy transfer business but more updates to the Peninsula Stadium.
Commenting on the announcement, Neville said: “I’m passionate about Salford City. This is a unique partnership with a diverse range of minds and expertise, held together by a love of football.
“Football will come first, however, it’s critical that we drive the Club towards sustainability in the next 4-5 years. I can’t wait for the next part of this journey.”
Meanwhile, Beckham went on to add in the excitable Instagram post seen above: “Salford played such an important role in my life growing up… It’s where I trained with United alongside my best mates every day, it’s where I bought my first house and where me and Victoria lived.
“I’m so proud to be part of a new ownership group alongside my mate [Neville] as we begin the next chapter of Salford’s journey. Football is at the heart of this community and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Ammies.
Chester Zoo’s sellout 10k charity run returns this summer with three new routes
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo has announced that its popular Run For Nature is back again this summer, and this year, there’s three new routes to run.
The UK’s biggest charity zoo saw success with similar sold-out events in 2023 and 2024, and is now looking for 2,500 runners to sign up for one of the North West’s most unique athletic experiences when it returns later this year – with all funds raised from the popular event going towards efforts to protect highly-endangered giraffes in Africa.
Participants will this year take on a brand-new route winding through more of the zoo than ever before, and enjoying glimpses of elephants, lemurs, and other incredible species along the way, before heading out into the picturesque Cheshire countryside.
Chester Zoo is inviting runners of all abilities to take part this year, as there’s a new 5km run added to the usual 10km route, and even a one-mile ‘Zoom’ fun run for kids aged four-15.
With only 2,500 places up for grabs, organisers say the event is expected to sell out quickly, just like it has the past two years, as runners race to support a very special cause.
All proceeds from this year’s Run For Nature in September will go directly towards protecting Nubian giraffes in East Africa – a species which has seen drastic population declines in the wild due to habitat loss, poaching and conflict with humans.
Chester Zoo’s sellout 10k charity run is returning this summer with three new routes / Credit: Chester Zoo
Runners will receive a wooden medal at the finish line and free entry to the zoo for the remainder of the day, so they can relax and celebrate their achievement among 30,000 amazing animals.
If that didn’t all sound brilliant enough as it is, top fundraisers from the day will also be in with a chance of winning some exciting prizes too, including annual zoo memberships, animal adoptions, and even special behind-the-scenes zoo experiences.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing back Run For Nature for a third incredible year,” explained Sarah Jones, who is the Fundraising Lead at Chester Zoo.
“We’ve now doubled the distance runners spend inside the zoo, so they’ll pass by even more iconic animals, [making it] a really special experience you won’t get anywhere else.”
Run For Nature is back at Chester Zoo this Sunday 21 September, and you can find out more and sign up to take part here.
Danny Jones -
4th September 2023 
