Sancho's dismal form explained
Ralf Rangnick has given reasons for star signing Jadon Sancho's struggles at Manchester United.
The 21-year-old returned to England in an €85m (£73m) million deal from Borussia Dortmund last summer but has not yet hit the levels of his time in Germany.
Sancho registered a remarkable 78 goal contributions in the Bundesliga over the past three seasons but has just one to his name in the Premier League.
And, in line with the youngster's slow start, United are, incredibly, 24 points off arch-rivals Manchester City just past the halfway stage.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer lost his job in November due to his side's poor form, which Sancho hadn't helped to shift, and it is now one of Rangnick's many tasks to get a tune out of the talented winger.
Rangnick's comments on Sancho
Rangnick gave his thoughts on the many reasons for Sancho's troubled start to life at Old Trafford.
"Difficult to say [why things are not working out for him], I think," Rangnick said. "It's a different league, it's a different competition.
"It's more physical, it's more pressure, although he also played for one of the biggest clubs in Germany, in Dortmund, but I think in total, the whole league, the whole competition is more physical and the level of expectation is higher.
Did Jadon Sancho's assists at Dortmund flatter him?#MUFC pic.twitter.com/SXy7tbQfbA
— Andy Forrester (@AndyForrester1) January 18, 2022
"When he came to Borussia Dortmund as a young player, he was only 18. Now he's 23, 24, playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world."
The German boss also referred to the mental difficulties Sancho could be facing, given the high-pressure environment he now finds himself in.
"I think it's also got to do with a lot of different things in his head,'' he added.
"But in training, whenever I see him train, he's showing that he's one of the best players in the training sessions.
"But now it's about the transfer to when he's playing, and to showing to the same kind of level and performance on the pitch."