Erik ten Hag has been mercilessly ridiculed by fans on social media after Jadon Sancho – who he froze out at Manchester United – reached the Champions League final.

Ten Hag banished Sancho from training or eating with his team-mates after a rift in September and he did not play again before joining Dortmund on loan in January.

Sancho had publicly branded Ten Hag a liar over his reasons for dropping him in a 3-1 defeat by Arsenal in September and refused to apologise.

The manager’s principled handling of the falling-out earned him praise as it proved he trusted his own authority, even over £73million wonderkids.

However, that hasn’t stopped social media troublemakers from having their wicked way and mocking Ten Hag, whose fortunes have diverged from those of Sancho.

Manchester United sit eighth in the Premier League and have just lost 4-0 to Crystal Palace; Sancho is a man rejuvenated and one game away from winning the Champions League.

‘Jadon Sancho is returning to England to play the Champions League final while Erik Ten Hag‘s boys won’t even get Conference League football next season as it stands. Interpret that as you like,’ one fan wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

‘If Jadon Sancho apologised to Erik ten Hag, he would be a bench player for the worst United side in the last 30 years instead of playing a Champions League final,’ another said.

‘Jadon Sancho reaching a Champions League Final the day after Erik ten Hag saw his team lose 4-0. Damn,’ one wrote.

‘Erik ten Hag pushed out Sancho for Antony only for him to reach a Champions League final,’ one said.

‘Jadon Sancho is going to UCL final meanwhile Erik Ten Hag is on a losing streak with no hopes of European football next season,’ one commented, posting a picture of Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola laughing.

Manchester United are eighth in the Premier League and if they fail to ascend the table they will record their worst finish since the 1989-90 season.