It is not at all certain that tonight will change anything about the future of English left winger Jadon Sancho, who is on loan at Aston Villa this season. – When he returns to Old Trafford, his contract has expired.
Tonight he was the tip of the scales in Aston Villa’s Europa League victory. Jadon Sancho’s Aston Villa goal and secures victory against Fenerbahçe.
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Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho scored his first goal for Aston Villa as they beat Fenerbahçe and qualified for the Europa League round of 16 with a game to spare.
Sancho reached Matty Cash’s deflected cross and nodded the ball past Fenerbahçe goalkeeper Ederson at close range in the 25th minute. Villa’s six wins from their first seven games mean they are third in the tournament’s league table and can no longer drop out of the top eight.
But the visitors needed a video referee intervention to secure victory in Istanbul.
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With 15 minutes left, Kerem Aktürkoğlu thought he had equalised, but the goal was disallowed for offside in the build-up against former Villa striker Jhon Durán.
Villa, who made six changes from Sunday’s Premier League defeat at home to Everton, had the most chances until Fenerbahçe pressed on in the closing minutes.
Sancho should have doubled his goal in the 42nd minute when he went around Ederson after being played free by Morgan Rogers, but his final shot was blocked on the goal line by Fenerbahçe captain Milan Škriniar.
Rogers put the ball in the net on the rebound, but it had hit the referee before it reached the attacking player, and the ball was declared dead.
He had another goal nullified in the second half because teammate Sancho started his run too early before putting the ball back for an easy goal.
Shortly before, full-back Cash had hit the far post with a diving shot from 25 yards out.
Midway through the second half, Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot did well when he threw himself to the right and saved against the loosely substituted Talisca, who had come free towards goal.
Aston Villa analysis: Sancho stars
Sancho played his 19th game for Villa, after joining on loan from Manchester United in September.
The 25-year-old has only started two Premier League games this season, but in the Europa League he has been in Villa’s starting line-up in each of the last five games.
Together with Rogers, he was Villa’s most creative player in a hostile atmosphere in Turkey. He kept popping up in Fenerbahçe’s box and was unlucky not to add a goal and an assist to his tally.
Sancho’s United contract expires next summer, but they have an option to extend it.
He last played for United in August 2024 and has spent the last 18 months on loan at Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea.
Villa boss Unai Emery – a record-holding four-time Europa League winner, who was leading his 100th game in the tournament – gave Tyrone Mings his first start since November. The defender has been out with a thigh injury.
Amadou Onana, who has been out with a hamstring injury, was given a brief substitute from the bench.
Emery also seemed unhappy with his midfielder Youri Tielemans, gesturing towards the Belgian when he was substituted in the 92nd minute.
Aston Villa can now rest their players in the final game at home against Red Bull Salzburg on Thursday 29 January.
Villa’s next game is away to Newcastle in the Premier League on Sunday, we’ll see if Jadon Sancho will be in the starting line-up.
