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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says he inherited a club with \u201cno good culture\u201d after Jadon Sancho was told to train away from the first team.<\/p>\n
Sancho is being disciplined after claiming on social media that he had been made a \u201cscapegoat\u201d following his omission from the Arsenal defeat before the international break.<\/p>\n
Ten Hag declined several opportunities to discuss the winger when he was asked ahead of Saturday\u2019s Premier League clash with Brighton at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n
Sancho\u2019s misstep is the latest in a long line of off-field disciplinary issues that the Dutchman has had to deal with since his appointment last summer and he said part of his brief was to instil better discipline at the club.<\/p>\n
Ten Hag said: \u201cStrict lines is what the club asked me because there was no good culture before I entered last season, so to set good standards, that is what I did and it is my job to control the standards.<\/p>\n
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\u201cOf course, it is never someone only makes one mistake, it is a whole process before you come to a certain outcome about strict lines.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf staff or players or whoever, there is a structure to cross lines so you have to be strong.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite Sancho\u2019s long-term future at the club appearing to be up in the air and Antony currently away from the club while he deals with allegations of being violent towards women, Ten Hag claims the United squad is in good fettle.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think everything is said. So the squad is strong, the squad is in good spirits and good mood going into the game,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have sometimes setbacks in seasons, players are injured or for other reasons are not available, so you construct a squad and the squad is very good and the players who are available are very motivated to give a good performance.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Asked whether he knew how long Antony would be away, he replied: \u201cI have no idea. Of course he is disappointed, but he is OK.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ten Hag has also leapt to the defence of defender Harry Maguire, who was on the end of abuse from Scotland fans during England\u2019s midweek friendly win.<\/p>\n
Maguire, who could have left United in the summer, described it as \u201cbanter\u201d but his mother came out in support of him on social media.<\/p>\n
And Ten Hag added: \u201cI have said many times, it is disrespectful, he doesn\u2019t deserve it, he is a great player, gives great performances. It\u2019s crazy but it\u2019s how it works and Harry has to block this by performances.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s unjustified when you see his career, it\u2019s a great career and it has a lot to come but he has to block it by good performances.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ten Hag revealed Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof are fit to face the Seagulls, but Luke Shaw, Mason Mount and Raphael Varane are still injured.<\/p>\n