Three wins in 11 games across all competitions is hardly form to write home about but even in the rubble, one player has ‘proved himself’ to Erik ten Hag.
Ahead of the game vs Brentford that increasingly looks must-win as Manchester United come into it on the back of a five-game winless run, Erik ten Hag spoke to the media.
He provided the latest Man Utd injury update which will see Noussair Mazraoui return to action in quick time, refuting earlier suggestions that his issue was serious.
Ten Hag also spoke about the team’s need to score more goals, while rubbishing the “fairytales and lies” of media who reported his job was in danger during the international break.
In a fiery press conference, he reserved a special time to praise a player whose resurgence has been a huge surprise this season.
Erik ten Hag on Christian Eriksen proving himself
At the start of the season, it looked like a matter of ‘when’ and not ‘if’ Christian Eriksen would leave Manchester United.
The Danish midfielder couldn’t build upon the exploits of his debut season and remained a bit-part player in his second season at Old Trafford.
Kobbie Mainoo’s emergence had sidelined him further and with just one year more remaining on his contract, the summer was the last time United could sell him for a fee.
However, a move didn’t work out and Eriksen started the season further down the pecking order as not only did Casemiro also stay, but Manuel Ugarte arrived and Mason Mount was fit again.
Well, so much for those developments.
Fast forward two months, Casemiro is a firm backup after some nightmare showings, Ugarte struggles to settle in the Premier League, Mount is injured again, and Eriksen can’t stop scoring.
With three goals and three assists in eight games in all competitions, he is right up there in the goal contribution charts for an infamously bad Man United this year.
At a time when Man United are breaking 52-year-old records for profligacy, Eriksen’s goals have been an oasis in the desert.
Ten Hag praised his midfield man’s resurgence, hinting that he has grasped that first-team place by its neck now.
He said: “Lately he proved himself within the team with Kobbie and proved they can be a good couple. He’s had a good season so far and is important for the team, linking key passes, and being creative, composed, and calm. I’m very happy with his performances.”
Man Utd’s decision vindicated
Despite his less-than-ideal form in the second season, United still believed that they would hold on to him instead of treating him as a distressed asset they needed to offload at any cost.
Eriksen did have offers to leave in the summer but nothing that matched United’s valuation or the player’s ambition.
That is because United judged that a season of Eriksen’s contribution would be worth more than whatever nominal fee a buying club would stump up.
That decision has been vindicated as the Dane has scored crucial goals to win United some points when every other attacker seems to have forgotten their shooting boots.
Since he arrived on a free transfer, he is not an albatross on the FFP sheet either which made that decision easy for United.
Now, he is paying it back and as it stands, he’s one of the first names on the teamsheet, especially in light of Kobbie Mainoo’s injury.
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