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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag was quick to realise that the midfield was in urgent need of reinforcements when he first came in.
Fans had grown weary of the much-maligned partnership of Scott McTominay and Fred and the Dutchman brought in Christian Eriksen on a free and paid a hefty sum to sign Casemiro.
The duo were irrepressible in their maiden campaign in red, forging a successful partnership as the Red Devils clinched the Carabao Cup and secured qualification for the Champions League.
However, the current campaign has been a major disappointment for both players as well as the club with injuries not helping either.
Eriksen’s drop-off
The former Tottenham Hotspur has missed eight games due to injury and he seems to have lost a yard of pace and has struggled to perform in the big games.
Following Kobbie Mainoo’s emergence, the Denmark international has hardly had a sniff, starting only one game in 2024 and Sunday’s FA Cup quarterfinal cameo was his first appearance in almost a month.
The 32-year-old is not pleased with his lack of minutes with doubts over his future in the national team also being raised.
But the former Inter Milan man showed his irresistible passing range against Liverpool last week and it is clear that when given time, he can still prove to be extremely effective.
His compatriot Rasmus Hojlund, who returned from injury last Sunday, extolled his teammate’s virtues while pointing out how competition for places is high but the midfielder remains a top professional.
Rasmus on Eriksen
“It was good he got some minutes here against Liverpool. I think he did really well when he came in. He is a good player, so you would like to see him on the field, but we have many good players, so it must be the coach’s decision whether he should play or not.
“I myself have tried to sit on the bench for FCK, so I know what that means, but he holds his head high and he is a class player. There is absolutely no doubt about that.
“There is no concern at all for me about it. Of course you want to play football and I’m sure he does too. He trains well and is still very positive and very helpful, so it’s not a big deal. A real professional,” the striker told TV 2 Sport.
With United chasing a top four spot in the Premier League and fighting for FA Cup glory, matches are set to come thick and fast. With Casemiro currently injured, a chance for Eriksen could open up.
For now, he needs to put in an impressive display for Denmark to convince Ten Hag further.
[…] source https://www.soccer2day.co.za/2024/03/22/rasmus-hojlund-reveals-his-admiration-for-christian-eriksen-… […]