The EURO 2020 final. A haunting memory for England fans. And similarly a haunting memory for the players, particularly the trio that missed penalties on that fateful occasion against Italy at Wembley.
The worlds of those who failed to convert in the penalty shootout came crashing down, and that was made all the more debilitating by the abhorrent abuse suffered. Two of those that missed from 12 yards so happened to be Manchester United players; Jadon Sancho, for one, had a move to the club impending, and he was set off on the wrong foot.
Marcus Rashford had been injured throughout the EURO 2020 campaign, struggling to walk due to an ankle issue and with a shoulder surgery in the offing. The latter of the issues saw him miss the opening couple of months of the 2021/22 season, and as with Sancho, Rashford was unable to find his mojo.
Rashford averaged only 51 minutes per game across 32 appearances in all competitions and contributed only five goals and a pair of assists; Sancho averaged 65 minutes per game across 38 appearances, with a dwindling output of only five goals and two assists.
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There is no doubt the pair will have been at least partially derailed by the events of the penalty shootout against Italy, and so the pair both converting in United's shootout win over Brighton last weekend felt significant. It was a case of demons being exorcised.
Maybe it was less pertinent for Rashford, who it has become clear has bounced back from problems riddling him last term, which saw him on the fringes under Ralf Rangnick.
Rashford has not only returned to his previous best level, but has gone beyond that. It is no longer purely about speed and directness, with more intricacies and a more measured side to his game. An output of 29 goals and 11 assists across 50 club appearances exemplifies this turnaround in fortunes - both credit to Erik ten Hag's work and Rashford's resilience.
He has also shown he can play through the middle, as well as on the left flank, when required. Against Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday, versatility that has risen in his game was evident as he showed facets such as linking play by dropping deep as well as offering his usual outlet of running in behind.
It was from a powerful run in behind from a pinpoint Bruno Fernandes switch of play that saw Rashford score to double United's first half advantage in North London, with Eric Dier beaten for pace and Rashford delivering a powerful finish. And the ultimate finish was with his left foot - not that you would notice, such has been the extent of his improvements.
The other side of his movement was on display for United's opening goal, when he picked the ball up and drove in determined fashion - evidence of his renewed drive - to supply an assist. And it was significant that the assist was for Sancho.
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The man who signed from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2021 has had a tougher time of things still this season, struggling to find any return of form parallel to Rashford's. United have been longing for the player they signed for a bumper fee after chasing him for over a year, but they haven't quite got that yet, especially consistently.
Ten Hag has faced many a conundrum since taking over as United manager. And one of the most pressing predicaments has been that of Sancho - a supremely talented player failing to live up to that potential on a regular basis.
The decision was taken for Sancho to embark on an individual training camp, including a spell in the Netherlands, during the World Cup break. Sancho wasn't named in the national squad - a further hit to his diminished confidence. He had started the season well with three goals in a six game period starting with the victory over Liverpool, but he then failed to score in the six games before the World Cup, albeit picking up an assist against Spurs.
He ultimately went over three months without playing a minute following October's 1-1 draw with Chelsea before returning against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup in early February. He didn't play a single minute in the last six matches before the mid-season hiatus, not featuring again until the 10th game back.
Physical and mental problems were cited for his embarkment on a specialised training programme, but Ten Hag did well to keep the spotlight off Sancho - evidence of the Dutchman's excellent man-management skills.
Ten Hag was patient and true to the plan he laid out for his player, ensuring to manage his situation and not rush him back to action prematurely. And the fact that Sancho followed the plan, which saw him away from the squad for a while, so incessantly displayed the trust between the players and Ten Hag.
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Has the decision been vindicated? Somewhat. Albeit it is hard to say it has been completely effective yet given Sancho hasn't had any massive run of games in the side - something that may well be necessary to establish rhythm that he has lacked.It was always going to take time for confidence to be rebuild for Sancho, after all.
Relating to confidence, indecision has been a feature of his game since he has returned to the fold, with a seemingly greater willingness to take players on but a hint of hesitance remaining. There have been times that he has shown more directness with the ball, but then he has a tendency to sometimes quell his own momentum by checking back when placed under pressure.
This contributes to the fact he has often seemed to lack proactivity. Too much caution has often been an aspect of his game, with a seeming fear to make mistakes, borne out, for example, in a reluctance to shoot, instead playing a safe pass. This has often been counter-productive, as caution can end up triggering looseness.
Decision-making has sometimes been flawed too, such as the wrong pass choices, which can lead to possession being ceded. Execution has also been awry at times. But again, with more game time, these issues should be ironed out - Sancho's peak ability shows this.
There are limiting attributes that are more inherent, for instance a lack of much explosivity, coming from an absence of much physicality. Sancho lacks the speed to run in behind like your traditional winger, instead relying more on being a technician able to unlock low blocks.
It has, since his return, still felt, despite glimpses, that Sancho has had another corner to turn. But maybe the greatest signs of this corner being close to being turned came against Tottenham during the week.
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One of the most telling signs of a renewed side to Sancho has been an apparent greater enjoyment when on the pitch, with a smile not uncommon for Sancho anymore when playing. It was a wonderful sight to see him grinning ear to ear on the sidelines before returning against Forest in February, and that sort of mood seems to have continued for the most part.
He looked more positive than he has done at any point against Spurs, with a goal before the 10-minute mark evidence of this. Rather than looking to offload the ball, he was creditably single-minded and punished being afforded space around the edge of the box, shifting the ball to the right and showing his technical ability with a well-placed finish into the far corner.
He has often worked best in a coherent system with support from others, and that aided his goal as Christian Eriksen's run to his left acted as a decoy to afford some more space for Sancho. Having teammates to combine with aids his expertise in interplay, allowing his intricacy to be maximised as opposed to him becoming isolated and floating out of games.
Sancho's movement in itself is a specialty, with intelligence within his resume; he is adept in his run-making, whether that is to find spaces for himself or to draw opponents away to create space for others. His spacial awareness is a quality which comes to the fore when on the ball and not.
He can often be effective when he has little time to think too, with quick thinking a skill that can be impactful in the final third. This was shown against Everton, when an instinctive slotted ball, emphasising his creative ability, saw him assist Scott McTominay's goal.
Sancho is now on six goals for the season - one higher than last term in considerably fewer minutes. His two goals since returning prior to that against Spurs came against Leeds United and Leicester City: the former was courtesy of a combination with Luke Shaw, with the latter credit to an attentive dart into space before a one-two with Fernandes and excellent first-time finish.
Sancho does still only have two assists, which merely matches last season's total and provides evidence that he can still go up a further level. Elevating himself even further could then see him gain the necessary regular gametime to build up a proper head of steam.
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Consistency remains an issue with Sancho - he went 13 appearances (of varying minutes) without scoring before facing Spurs. But it is certain that he looks more motivated, which is credit to the work Ten Hag has done to support Sancho. Commitment to tracking back, contributing defensively against Spurs, exemplified Sancho's growing work ethic.
He has gained some more continuity by playing more frequently on the left flank given Ten Hag prefers using inverted wingers, although Sancho has had effective cameos as a No.10 and remains an option on his oft-favoured right side.
Arguably the greatest exemplification of the credit Ten Hag's man-management deserves is the support Sancho has gained from his teammates, especially whenever he has scored. Ten Hag has instilled a culture of togetherness, and camaraderie has developed massively.
It was a shame United squandered a two-goal lead against Tottenham as the spotlight was taken off the positive of Sancho's display. But hopefully now, from an individual standpoint, Sancho has momentum to build on more than ever.
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