Manchester United’s 7-0 hammering of Barnsley in the Carabao Cup was a performance filled to the brim talking points.
The ever-burgeoning brilliance of Alejandro Garnacho. Two emphatically-taken finishes from a revitalised Marcus Rashford.
And handful of eye-catching displays from three players who, if many Manchester United supporters had their way, would have been shipped out this summer alongside Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Anthony Martial and Donny van de Beek.
Now, of course, it’s ‘only’ Barnsley, as fun-sponge rival fans seem desperate to point out.
But Man United should have a lot of games like this over the coming months. Against limited opposition in the domestic cups and in the Europa League, where Erik ten Hag will have to rotate his squad in order to keep his key players fresh.
And it is a testament to the growing strength in depth at Ten Hag’s disposal that – against Darrell Clarke’s humiliated Barnsley outfit – he had the luxury of introducing two Brazil internationals while handing Christian Eriksen only his second start of the campaign.
And, afforded the time and the freedom he is usually denied in the Premier League, experienced Denmark international rolled back the years. A performance which showed that, while the speed may have gone from his legs, his brain can still work out footballing equations at a remarkable speed.
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Christian Eriksen shines in 7-0 Manchester United win
“I feel very good being at United,” Eriksen says, via The Standard, after firing home twice late on from a pair of Bruno Fernandes assists. “If they told me to leave, I would leave. But I didn’t hear that.”
Eriksen was one of a number of Man United players who found himself in limbo over the summer.
United were never going to force him out, but nor would they have stood in his way if a tempting offer had arrived. Eriksen turned down potential moves to America, Turkey or the Middle East, however, while a proposed return to Ajax and a move to Belgian giants Anderlecht also failed to materialise.
Anderlecht CEO Jasper Fredberg would have relished the chance to bring such star quality to the Constant Vanden Stock. But, as he alluded too when the Belgian window was still open, Eriksen’s wage demands meant a deal was always something of a pipe dream.
Eriksen earns £150,000-a-week at Old Trafford.
“Eriksen was an absolute opportunity,” Fredberg now tells Voetbal Nieuws. “Which turned out not to be feasible.”
Eriksen, who worked with Anderlecht coach Brian Riemer at Brentford, will now stay put at Manchester United until January at the earliest. And he is welcome to.
Ss long as the former Tottenham Hotspur talisman is willing to play a supporting role. And as long as he is capable of rolling back the years when called upon.
Anderlecht and Ajax moves failed to materialise
“I’m a guy who likes being in a place where my family is settled and, at the same time, being in a place where I can benefit and play. That’s always going to be my aim,” adds Eriksen, starting successive games for the first time since late-April and early-May.
“There’s one year left (on my contract). So my focus is going to be on this year, going full out and see what happens afterwards.
“It’s difficult to ask the manager in the off-season how many minutes I’m going to get in a season. If he starts promising minutes to players we’re going to have a long season! There was no speaking in that sense, just head down, work hard and focus on each game.”
Ten Hag must now decide whether to keep Eriksen in his XI for Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace.
With Manuel Ugarte getting up to speed, the £42 million deadline day arrival is likely to feature in some capacity while Toby Collyer has clearly made quite the impression on his boss too.
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