Sancho has reminded Manchester United what he's worth

"I think Dortmund will sell one big player this summer, but I think that player will be Jadon Sancho," said BT Sport pundit Rafa Honigstein before kick-off. One man was always going to dominate the agenda, and he didn't even need to start the game.

Honigstein had actually been asked about Borussia Dortmund's other star men - Julian Brandt and Erling Haaland among them - and the chances of the German club cashing in on them this summer rather than the Manchester United transfer target.

Such are the riches available to Dortmund up front, which are paying dividends right now, after another straightforward victory.

This time, Sancho played a part, reminding Dortmund and United that his talents haven't faded one iota.

It was strange to see him on the bench for a second successive week.

After seven rather tepid minutes of Dortmund's 2-0 victory over Wolfsburg, the news popped up in the corner of viewers' screens to inform us that Kai Havertz had already opened the scoring for Bayer Leverkusen against Borussia Monchengladbach. While you cannot consider Havertz in the same bracket as Sancho - because he's not a primary United target - he's been heavily linked with a Premier League move and is strutting his stuff right now in the Bundesliga's unique shop window. United fans were desperate to see Sancho get the same opportunities and their patience was eventually rewarded.

It seemed for a while in this game, as Woflsburg's robust left-back Jérôme Roussillon snuffed out a number of attacks down the right flank in the early stages, that Dortmund were lacking something. Something that Sancho would later bring.

Because, having looked so assured on their return last week, cruising beyond Schalke 4-0, this was altogether more attritional. Watching the opening half hour unfold rather tediously, you wondered if Dortmund had ulterior motives in leaving Sancho on the bench.

Could it simply be a case of fitness and a minor calf injury that was keeping Sancho on the bench? Otherwise, you wouldn't leave out a player with 14 goals and 15 assists if you were Lucien Favre. Besides, Leverkusen aren't leaving out their star man even amid transfer speculation.

The elephant in the room is Dortmund's Tuesday night contest with Bayern Munich that is lurking around the corner. Maybe Favre was saving Sancho and the likes of Emre Can and Axel Witsel, for Der Klassiker.

More than halfway through the opening 45 minutes, however, Dortmund were still struggling to find their mojo. "You wonder if they're waiting for one of their teammates to produce a piece of magic," said co-commentator Steve McManaman after 30 minutes of turgid football from the Black and Yellows.

Then came the moment of ultra-efficiency from Favre's men, created by a delightful Thorgan Hazard turn and finished coolly at the back post by Raphael Guerreiro - his third goal in 120 minutes of action since the league's restart.

Sancho or not, Dortmund always seem able to find a way. 1-0.

They took that lead into the half-time break, but you couldn't stop the pundits - or United fans on social media - talking about Sancho.

In the second half, their rather mediocre performance continued and Wolfsburg ought to have levelled on 48 minutes but Renato Steffen blazed hopefully over the top. Favre couldn't delay putting on his No.7 for any longer and in the 65th minute he replaced Brandt.

His impact was immediate, forcing Wolfsburg's experienced captain John Brooks into a rash tackle for which he was booked. He then began to drive a previously dormant Dortmund side forward and added another assist to his tally as he set up Achraf Hakimi for the second goal.

The 2-0 scoreline owed plenty to Sancho's impact and thus Dortmund could secure three points from what had, at times, been an uncomfortable Saturday afternoon.

It's obvious why United are interested, but the nagging question remains about whether the German club are tentatively planning for life without him.

Tuesday night may reveal Dortmund's true view, with Sancho likely to start if fully fit. If he isn't picked in the biggest game of his club's season against Bayern - after what he's done for them this season - something may well be amiss. Dortmund know they have a huge talent in their ranks.