Former Manchester United and Trinidadian player, Dwight Yorke, believes that Jadon Sancho can properly express himself in the new season which kicks off tomorrow. Having previously backed Marcus Rashford to rediscover top form under Ten Hag, Yorke feels that Sancho just needs the freedom to show the skills that made him such a massive name at Borussia Dortmund.
“Listen, again, he’s another player with huge expectations and a big price-tag. It’s about dealing with that stuff.
“Marcus came through the Academy but Jadon is a young lad coming in off real disappointment, in terms of missing that penalty [for England in the European Championship final shoot-out against Italy]. If you look at it from the psychological point of view and how it affects you.
“Normally, when you come to such a huge club, you want to get off to the best possible start. He hasn’t quite hit those heights and I feel like he’s playing catch-up. I felt it was like a case of you can’t take a risk to express yourself, you’ve got to go for safety instead.
“What the new manager will know and understand is how to try to influence these players to be themselves, express themselves, in the way they can.
“When you look at how Sancho played, it is a fact that he was kind of holding back and going for safety, rather than doing what he can do to express some of his skills that he has.”
There is a good sense of anticipation that the winger, who scored against Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa on pre-season tour , will continue to impress on the right flank when playing against Premier League opposition domestically.
“It will be interesting to see how he goes this year. He is still a young man, still developing and still understanding his game and what is probably his best position.
“I think he has a bit more to make up this season [compared to Rashford] after how it went for him last year. But there are big expectations and, if you don’t embrace it, then you are playing catch-up. I think he was playing catch-up but can get there.”