Sport

The PFA offers to help resolve rift between Jadon Sancho and Erik ten Hag as exile continues

Given how depleted the squad has looked of late, they could do with any help they can get.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 26th September 2023

The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has offered to help Jadon Sancho and Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag resolve their differences after the winger was reportedly exiled from first-team training and other club facilities.

As per multiple outlets, Sancho has been banned from first-team training and various other facilities around Carrington, including even the dining area after the rift between him and his coach escalated earlier this month.

The 23-year-old made a disagreement even more public after he refuted ten Hag‘s criticism of his performance levels in training on social media, insisting that he had been made a “scapegoat” for a long that the claims made during the Dutchman’s press conference were “completely untrue”.

Sancho was dropped from the squad before their 3-1 loss to Arsenal and the now out-of-favour forward has been sidelined ever since, with ten Hag supposedly demanding an apology and the United star refusing. Now, according to The Times, the PFA have decided to try and step in.

The PFA are trying to help Sancho and ten Hag bury the hatchet.

Despite Sancho now having deleted the social media post, he is said to have been barred from training for the last fortnight and instructed to train on his own; he was put on a similar private programme last season, though it was thought that was due to fitness and confidence-related issues.

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As a result, the PFA have now been in contact with the club United and Sancho to try to help the two settle their differences, although it is thought there has currently “been no resolution and the winger looks set to miss the Carabao Cup match against Crystal Palace on Tuesday.”

When asked last Friday what it would take for Sancho to return, ten Hag simply said, “It depends on him.” — the suggestion being that the England international must apologise and prove himself upon his return to training before he can be considered for any squad selection again.

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With numerous injuries throughout the squad, not to mention Antony also still out of the squad amidst his ongoing domestic assault allegations, everyone at the club will be hoping the two can reconcile sooner rather than later.

Manchester United issue update on Antony situation confirming delayed return to training

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That being said, the 53-year-old coach does have other options when it comes to the vacant right-wing position, as many fans are calling for both Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Pellistri to be given an extended run of games, with Marcus Rashford playing off the left or vice-versa.

Rashford was involved in a car crash on his way home from the Red Devils’ away victory against Burnley but walked away unharmed and is presumed fit to play.

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Mason Mount has also returned from injury, which could see him return to the starting lineup either on the right, where he played plenty of minutes for Chelsea, or in the middle with Bruno Fernandes pushed out wide.

Meanwhile, ahead of tonight’s fixture, Sancho has now deactivated his Instagram account.

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Featured Image — Jadon Sancho/Man United (via Twitter)

Sport

Ole Gunnar Solskjær says just three players have spoken to him since leaving Manchester United

Danny Jones Danny Jones Ole Gunnar Solskjaer only 3 Man United players have spoke to him since leaving

Club legend and ex-Manchester United player turned manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, has revealed that just three of his former players have been in touch since leaving Old Trafford.

Solskjær was sacked from the role as Man United head coach back in November 2021 after having been given the job permanently following an impressive winning run as interim manager.

The practically perfect start back at the helm of the club – where he starred as the ‘super sub’ during his playing days – was followed by a big slump, and the final decision was ultimately made in the wake of a 4-1 loss to Watford.

However, the ‘Baby-Faced Assassin’s’ popularity among the players and the fans alike was never in question, so it’s come as somewhat of a surprise to many fans that Solskjær has said only a specific trio of United players have got in touch with him since his dream job came to an end.

At least two of the names read out might not surprise fans, as not only was then-club captain Harry Maguire one of his first statement signings, but so was Bruno Fernandes, who now has the armband, and both have remained key players and leadership figures pretty much ever since.

Speaking to BBC Sport on the senior duo, Ole said, “For me, Harry has always been a leader and a fighter”, and never had any doubts about him deputising for him on the pitch, before going on to label both the centre-back and Bruno as “top human beings.”

As for the third, although Victor Lindelöf looks set to leave the club this summer, he’s actually been a long-serving squad member, having joined back in 2017 and been a seemingly popular figure around the dressing room, even if injury problems have sometimes hampered his minutes.

He also went on to discuss other matters regarding the club, including confessing that it’s “hard to watch” United amidst their present struggles, both under previous manager Erik ten Hag and now Ruben Amorim – even with a potential Europa League trophy consolation on the cards.

The retired striker also stated that he found the decision to let midfielder Scott McTominay go more than surprising, especially given the incredible performances he’s put on display since moving to Serie A.

Now the boss at Besiktas, the 52-year-old has won 50% of his games so far, with the Turkish side on course for a third-place finish.

For context, he only took the job back in January.

What did you make of Ole’s revelations then, Reds? And, more importantly, how do you look back on his time in charge at the Theatre of Dreams?

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Featured Images — soccer.ru (via Wikimedia Commons)/BBC Sport

Sport

The annual Manchester Remembers Foundation charity football match has shut down

Danny Jones Danny Jones Manchester Remembers charity game 2025 cancelled

The annual Manchester Remembers charity football match has been cancelled for 2025, and unfortunately, the wider Foundation has also shut down for the foreseeable.

Set up back in 2020, the Manchester Remembers charity game was created to help raise funds for the families of those lost in the tragic 2017 Manchester Arena attack, raising nearly £200,000 in donations for multiple organisations.

It has been a truly treasured community event across Greater Manchester, welcoming thousands to the likes of Manchester City Academy Stadium and Oldham Athletic‘s Boundary Park, as well as spotlighting local musicians and notable figures volunteering their help for a deeply important cause.

However, the Foundation is now set to hang up its boots. Confirming the news over the bank holiday weekend, founders Aaron Lee and Paul Corrigan shared “a difficult statement to make and a decision not taken lightly.”

As explained in the lengthy and emotional post, it is with a “heavy heart” that this year’s charity match has now been officially cancelled, and tickets already purchased up to this point are now being refunded.

Having played a small part in helping spread awareness around the game and the Foundation since it began, we were gutted to learn of this sad news.

The 2025 MCR Remembers game was scheduled to take place this June at a new venue for the event, Bury FC’s home ground at Gigg Lane, but following what they have labelled “a lack of support” from Greater Manchester leaders and “influential people needed to carry the event forward.”

Lee – a former police officer turned firefighter who was one of the emergency responders on 22 May, 2017 – went on to share a follow-up video reflecting on the announcement.

As he puts in the piece to camera, he says that even if those who had been reached out to in recent times were to suddenly respond, that it is “sadly too late.”

Taking time to thank not only past sponsors, managers, ex-pros and celebrity players who have been part of the event in the past, but everyone who bought tickets to the event(s) over the past few years, stating simply: “We cant thank you enough.”

Lee, who was given both a Chief Fire Officers Commendation and British Citizen Award in 2024, went on to address those “so-called leaders and influential people” in a subsequent post, adding: “All we needed was a bit of help. But we were ignored. Thanks for the memories.”

Unsurprisingly, the comments on social media have been awash with messages of love, support and sadness upon learning of this year’s cancellation and the end of The Manchester Remembers Foundation after more than half a decade.

There is some hope, though, as he ends the video by saying, “Who knows if this is the end or not? […] I dare say we’ll be back at some point.” We can only keep our fingers crossed he’s right and the MCR Remembers charity game won’t be shut down for good.

Manchester will always remember.

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Featured Images — The Manc Group/Manchester Remembers Foundation

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