With this current Manchester United squad you just simply have no idea what you are going to get from one week to the next.

One moment they’ll reel you in with some sublime attacking displays and the next, they’ll leave you bewildering and in total disbelief. One constant has been the inexcusable contrast between first-half performances and second-half capitulations, as was again the case at Elland Road at the weekend, regardless of the calibre of the opposition or position of superiority they assume.

It’s become a regular pattern in recent weeks, but also telling representation that this United side may have a wealth of attacking talent, but as a unit they lack the street-smartness and composure to control games to their favour. They can be devastating but unbelievably frail, lacking the panache to control and dominate opponents over 90 minutes.

It’s evidently clear the squad needs some injection of control and bite in midfield, though something that Ralf Rangnick has increasingly been able to rely upon amid the chaos elsewhere in his side has been the performances of £73m summer capture Jadon Sancho.

The England forward is finally adding some goals and assists to his Premier League repertoire helping decide another pulsating mini War of the Rose battle.

You’d be lying if you had said Sancho hasn’t endured a difficult start to life in a Manchester United shirt. Of course, it hasn’t been plain sailing. At Borussia Dortmund, Sancho played in a team with a high-octane style where the general levels of the Bundesliga are slower and tailored perfectly to his flamboyant and jinky style, and though he has grounding of English football from his time at Watford and Manchester City, the English top flight is a significant step for a player still so young.

It took him all of six months to get his first Premier League goal for the club, against Southampton at Old Trafford. Fans have looked at his relatively hefty price tag, rather unfairly expecting him to hit the ground running but even the best of players in this division have found it incredibly difficult to make a swift impact upon arrival, and Sancho is no different.

At times the 21-year-old has been criticized for playing too safe, not showing off his usual mazy dribbles, tricks and deceptive movements but rather playing the ball back when faced 1v1 with his marker. It’s perfectly understandable though, when you’re still trying to adapt to your new surroundings, being too safety-first and cautious under pressure rather than taking risks.

Some even wondered earlier on in the season whether Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s football, which gave licence to individual flair and creativity, really suited Sancho, and as a result found his place in the team limited. Indeed, Sancho seemed to be the collateral damage of the crisis engulfing Solskjaer, with the former United manager turning to the safety-first of a 3-4-1-2 system that had no room for wingers.

Such uncertainty in style and cohesion in United’s play ultimately led to the sacking of the Norwegian, and rather strangely led to Sancho’s immediate future at Old Trafford being under threat, even after Solskjaer had strongly advocated for the club to sign him last summer.

However, in all honesty, it can be argued that Solskjaer was the man holding him back. Since his departure, Sancho’s performance levels and adaptation to the team has markedly improved. His first goal for the club – under the stewardship of interim boss and former first team coach Michael Carrick – against Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League group stage finale, certainly showed a player finally beginning to get into his groove. The 21-year-old was superb on the night as United ran out 2-0 winners in the east of Spain.

Since Ralf Rangnick’s arrival though, Sancho is not just starting to show why United so desperately coveted him for two years, but is also fast becoming one of the few leading lights the club can depend upon to make crucial difference in matches.

The goals and assists may not have arrived until recently but it was clear Sancho was finally getting into the swing of things, accumulating more minutes under his belt, regaining his confidence, Rangnick almost simplifying his game and the tactical freedom around him and he’s now showing more glimpses of why Manchester United paid so much money for him.

Reports within the club in November during his difficult period were positive, with many believing Sancho would finally come good as the season progressed and that he has.

Against Leeds United, the weather helped set the scene and tone for Sunday’s ensuing battle, with incessant heavy rain leaving parts of the pitch sodden, making the trudging through no man’s land to reach your opponent that bit heavier underfoot.

With Leeds defenders bursting with rage and steam streaming from their nostrils bearing down on him, Sancho often remained calm and composed when clipping a sumptuous first time cross onto the head of Bruno Fernandes, who could not miss to put United 2-0 up.

It was the theme throughout the match surrounding Sancho’s performance. While others were slipping and sliding in treacherous conditions, Sancho used it to his advantage gliding across the pitch with such unerring grace and confidence.

Sancho has worked himself into such positions to create openings on plentiful occasions this season, but failed to find that killer pass. Now, he finally had that first elusive Premier League assist, on his 14th start, to prove the 11 he recorded in the German top flight, and the 18 he laid on in all competitions last season were no fluke.

Though, all his good work were about to be undone in a matter of moments in the second-half. Manchester United these days are never comfortable at 2-0 up, if you need any reminders just ask Aston Villa.

Infact, in three of their previous four league games, they had failed to earn victory having been leading by one goal at the break but, they instead conceded two quick-fire goals in 59 seconds early in the second half to allow Leeds back into it, and give the fans around Elland Road hope they could grab all three points.

With pandemonium still ensuing, and emotional embraces lasting longer than when a son or daughter returns home from university for the first time after a long period away, the quality and grace of Jadon Sancho once again dragged his teammates out of the mire and set them on the road to a crucial success.

With options either side of him, the weight on the pass for substitute Fred was something that only the very best can produce, and the Brazilian made no mistake. It was game, set and match from then on in.

Sancho didn’t stop there though, almost laying on another for Anthony Elanga after one of the most stupendous mazy runs and trickery down the touchline to get past three Leeds United players, but Elanga could only fire Sancho’s finely weighted pass straight at Illan Meslier in the Leeds goal.

Whenever Sancho is faced with creative decisions in an around the final third, he always delivers executing them with such wonderful composure, calmness and class that so few in Europe’s top-five leagues can match. It’s almost as if time stands still.

Sancho has now been involved in four goals in his last five games in all competitions – two goals and two assists – twice as many as he was in his first 23 appearances. He completed more progression actions (10) against Leeds than any other United player and he also made the third-most possession recoveries (9), only bettered by Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka (11).

Credit must be given to Ralf Rangnick for providing Sancho with the tools and tactical freedom to express himself, almost unburdening him with needless responsibilities but ensuring he performs at maximum capacity.

The German discussed his extensively relationship with Sancho from former years before he chose to move to Borussia Dortmund and that bond and trust is certainly being reflected on the pitch.

In fact, in a matter of months Sancho ranks amongst the best for creativity in the final third amongst Rangnick’s crop of players.

So far this season, the former Dortmund wizard ranks 2nd for key passes per 90 (2.17), 2nd for passes into the penalty area (23), 2nd for shot-creating actions per 90 (4.20) (the two offensive actions leading to a shot, such as passes, dribbles and drawing fouls), he ranks 1st for progressive carries (140), carries into the final third (51) and 18-yard box (36). He’s also recorded the most successful dribbles (33) out of any United player too.

Whoever said Jadon Sancho isn’t making an impact at Old Trafford? The above numbers emphatically tells us he is. When United are in need of creativity in the final third, its not just Fernandes they are looking to, but Sancho also. The 21-year-old has almost lifted the creative burden off his Portuguese teammate.

The 21-year-old is playing with real style and confidence again, and it was only a matter of time and opportunity. With all the uncertainty, negative press and rumours engulfing the club in past couple months, Sancho has provided United fans with the hope and optimism that the future is indeed bright at Old Trafford.

From struggling to be considered for a starting berth a few months ago to being one of the first names on the team sheet. Rangnick was always going to look favourably on a player he knows so well from his time in Germany, but in this current form, he simply cannot ignore the man who should be front and centre of this up and coming United revolution.

Where are the Sancho doubters at now?

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