Wowing Carrington and defying Guardiola - the making of Jadon Sancho into a Manchester United star

As unedifying as it was for Ajax to see their own player go on strike, Manchester United were impressed with Antony's eagerness and attitude to ensure he finally reunited with Erik ten Hag.

On the other flank, Jadon Sancho was also accused of missing training sessions at a younger age. Sancho was only 17 in 2017 when he skipped training sessions at Manchester City, amid his omission from their pre-season tour of the United States.

Sancho had only spent two years in Manchester but was convinced he did not have a pathway to the City first-team under Guardiola. Ironically, Guardiola was at his most quotable in America when gushing over Phil Foden in Houston.

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“You (the media) are the lucky guys who saw the first game, for the first team for Manchester City, of this guy. It’s a long time since I saw something like this. His performance was another level."

Stockport-born Foden has been wedded to City since birth whereas Londoner Sancho was raised in Kennington and a boyhood Chelsea fan. He accepted City's offer to leave Watford as "it was a good opportunity to get out of the hood. There were a lot of bad influences.”

Foden was granted preferential treatment, while Sancho was afforded fewer opportunities. In 2016-17, Foden started 31 of City Under-18s' 37 matches. Sancho started 19 and pillaged 15 goals - the same as Foden.

Sancho was first driven into United's Carrington training complex in December 2016 as a member of the City academy squad. He emerged at half-time and teed up Brahim Diaz to equalise and later motored past left-back George Tanner and midfielder Callum Whelan, his shot deflecting into Foden's path to pounce for a second equaliser.

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