But Sunday's 3-1 FA Cup win over Fulham was a timeless reminder of some of his outstanding qualities – and perhaps the surest sign yet that the playmaker is slowly finding his mojo again.
Sancho forced the decisive moment of a fractious match against the Cottagers, which led to the dismissal of two Fulham players and their manager, Marco Silva. He then slipped Luke Shaw in to cross for Marcel Sabitzer's maiden Reds goal, putting United ahead in the tie for the first time.
The Londoner is still searching for the blistering consistency he showed in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund, but glimpses of his class are never far from the surface, and Marcus Rashford's recent career revival under Erik ten Hag should give Sancho massive encouragement for the remainder of this season and beyond.