Erik ten Hag has picked out the budding partnership between Diogo Dalot and Jadon Sancho on the right-hand side of his Manchester United team.
The burgeoning Ten Hag reign is still in its infancy, having replaced Ralf Rangnick as the club’s new first team boss at the end of last season. The Dutchman has inherited a bloated and underperforming squad coming off the back of their worst ever Premier League season.
Ten Hag joins United with a reputation for playing an exciting and progressive brand of football. And although he has only been in his post for a couple of months, the early signs are giving fans reasons for optimism.
United have scored four times in both of their early pre-season encounters, thrashing Liverpool 4-0 in Bangkok, before beating Melbourne Victory 4-1 in Australia. After conceding an early goal against their A League opponents, Scott McTominay equalised, before Anthony Martial gave them the lead shortly before the break.
Marcus Rashford then gave United a two-goal lead before a late own goal put some gloss on the result. Dalot created the all-important second goal for the Red Devils and built on a good performance against Liverpool earlier this week.
The Portuguese full-back looks set for a starting berth under Ten Hag, with his attacking output meaning he is the preferred option above Aaron Wan-Bissaka. In front of Dalot, Sancho looks primed for a place in the XI as he looks to build on a disappointing first season with the club.
After hitting double figures in each of the last three seasons, Sancho managed just five goals in all competitions. But with the prospect of a full pre-season hopes are high for a significant step forward.
Sancho scored during the rout of Liverpool and the pairing of he and Dalot earned a mention from the manager in the aftermath of their win at the MCG. "Second game, totally different approach from the opponent," Ten Hag said.
"They stand really back, really compact. We had to create by ourselves and that was from the left side not that easy, from the right side I was quite satisfied and we create a lot off the right side, four or five really good chances.
"We turned around the game, that was the good thing, when you go down, that you react, and we deal with the setback.
"Sure but I think the whole right side played really well because there's a good connection between Jadon Sancho and Diogo Dalot and also mixed in with Bruno, Martial and also McTominay.
"I'm very happy with that, but I'm sure when we go through the season we have to do even more and we have to improve in certain cases. We have to get a threat on both sides.
"I said last week our left side was really good and now all of a sudden it's our the right side. Now I want both sides and also the middle because if you want to be creative against low blocks, you need it and the threat has to come from everyone."
