Manchester United were without Scott McTominay and Christian Eriksen last night during the club’s dominant win over Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup.
The Red Devils ran out 3-0 winners and the midfield had a different look to them, with Hannibal Mejbri starting and Dan Gore coming on for the final 30 minutes of the game.
Erik ten Hag told club media: “They are ill, both.”
The pair may well have dropped further down the pecking order with the recent performances of Hannibal Mejbri, Sofyan Amrabat’s emergence, and Mason Mount’s return from injury.
Could Eriksen and McTominay become back-ups
The pair have struggled so far this season, McTominay, in particular, has suffered and now the midfield duo could be about to fall further down the pecking order at Old Trafford.
With the recent introduction of Hannibal, the midfielder has seemingly leapfrogged the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder in Ten Hag’s thinking after starting the last two games for the Red Devils.
You wonder if this is part of the Dutchman’s plan to phase the pair out and bring in the youth and exuberance of the pair.
Would Ten Hag be making the right decision
The Dutchman is surely making the right decision to phase the pair out. Eriksen can have some value but McTominay could play less and less as the season goes on.
With Mason Mount, Hannibal, Sofyan Amrabat and Casemiro, you wonder where the duo would fit into this new and improved United midfield.
There’s also Kobbie Mainoo and Gore who could fit into these roles that the pair can play, the academy graduates are younger and have more potential.
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