Antony’s absence offers Manchester United's Jadon Sancho another opportunity to continue his revival

Manchester United find themselves in a unique situation going into their weekend game against Leeds United despite their recent wobbly form in the Premier League.

A run of one win in their last four league games is certainly not good enough, but they will end up in second place, albeit temporarily, with a win over the Peacocks. When Manchester United hosted Leeds in midweek, they were nearly surprised. Michael Skubala’s took a 2-0 lead only for the hosts to rally and salvage a share of the spoils.

Part of the reason why Erik ten Hag’s side got themselves back in the game was the introduction of Jadon Sancho. The 22-year-old has been impactful since returning to the first team as he capped off a lively output against Leeds by netting the crucial equaliser.

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Sancho needs more game time at Manchester United to maintain momentum

Sancho was voted the man of the match in the midweek game against Leeds. Before that, he was also decent when he came on against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup semifinal second leg.

So far, he has done well in the cameo appearances he’s been afforded, and Antony’s injury opens the door for him to get more playing time. The Brazilian is out for an unspecified period, so the right-wing position is there for the taking.

Against Leeds on Wednesday, Ten Hag experimented by deploying Rashford on the right and handing Alejandro Garnacho a starting spot on the left. It’s fair to say that the ploy didn’t really work out. It was only after Sancho came on that Manchester United finally got a grip on the game and started troubling their opponents.

A player like Sancho needs to play regularly to build momentum and rhythm. Antony’s unavailability affords him the chance to have an extended run in the team.

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Sancho ready for next step after cameos

Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest - Carabao Cup Semifinal second leg

Sancho has made two substitute appearances since returning to the first team, and in both games, he showed flashes of his brilliance.

It’s now time for him to take the next step by starting. Some could argue that it’s too early and that he’s still building up his fitness after a long time out without playing. Manchester United, though, do not have a better player to fill in Antony’s shoes.

Facundo Pellistri and Garnacho may be talented but are still raw and have a lot to learn. That's why Sancho is the best option to play on the right flank against Leeds to free up Rashford to play in his favoured left-wing position.

Ten Hag certainly trusts Sancho, and even if he cannot last the full 90 minutes, his pace and skills could be useful at Leeds in the opening hour. Ten Hag said of Sancho, as quoted by The Mirror:

"He's growing. He's definitely in a better place than two or three months ago. When he was away from the team, I think it was the right decision from him to do it. He worked hard on himself, and now he is back. Now he has to find himself back in the team. That has to go step-by-step; now he's coming from the bench, so I hope he can make the next steps."

Sancho is still finding his feet and is some distance from reaching his best. However, he appears ready to take the next step in his revival, and that should start at Leeds on Sunday (February 12).