Regarding Sancho's comment, it was posted on social media and subsequently deleted. Ten Hag, the Manchester United manager, commented, "Tomorrow we have a big game against Brighton, and we are entering a new series of matches with a condensed schedule. My focus is on that. He is not available, so at this moment, he is not a focal point because he cannot contribute."

Manchester United has experienced mixed results in the Premier League this season, winning at home against Wolves and Nottingham Forest but suffering losses on the road to Tottenham and Arsenal.

In the previous season, Ten Hag demonstrated his readiness to make significant decisions for the benefit of the team by benching Cristiano Ronaldo after Ronaldo refused to enter a match as a substitute in October 2022 against Tottenham. Similar to Sancho, Ronaldo was then isolated from the first-team squad, and though he did eventually return, he left the club in November of that year after giving a controversial interview criticizing Manchester United. Ten Hag emphasized on Friday that the team's collective success takes precedence over any individual, stating, "This is not about me, and I need to be resolute about it. No, this is for the team. I don't think about that [Sancho's social media post], and I don't discuss it, because I have a game to win. That's what it's all about. I focus solely on the players who are available to me and deserving of my attention. I must guide and prepare them; that's my focus. I only concentrate on the players who are at my disposal."