Manchester United needed a solution in midfield after a dismal loss to Liverpool. Nobody expected it might be Christian Eriksen.
Erik ten Hag turned to Christian Eriksen against Southampton and started him against Barnsley too. The team have won both matches by a combined score of 10-0.
Perhaps these are the games Manchester United should be using Christian Eriksen for. It will be interesting to see whether he keeps his place away at Crystal Palace this week.
As far as the match against Barnsley goes, Eriksen was outstanding, providing one assist and scoring twice.
Christian Eriksen praised
Christian Eriksen’s performance might have slipped under the radar before his two goals underlined his staggering contribution.
Speaking post-match on MUTV, former academy prospect Danny Webber praised Eriksen’s laid-back yet effective approach.
He said: “His quality is immense. You’re not looking at somebody who runs 100 meters in, you know11 seconds, you’re looking at somebody who just finesses the ball knows the right way to pass.
“I mean, the assist for Garnacho as well, just up back and through, and he just laid it on a plate for Ganacho to run through and score again.
“The two that he scored, Bruno returned a favour by assisting him. His finishes were just passed him into the net quite nicely.”
Eriksen has given United another option
Most Manchester United fans would not have been too upset to see Christian Eriksen depart this summer.
It felt like he took a major backwards step last season, where he struggled for game time and often looked to be overpowered by opponents.
Eriksen has retained his place in the Denmark team and this has helped him keep his confidence high, and he has returned to United with a flourish.
He must have shown Erik ten Hag something in training at Carrington, because it was a really bold call to select him against Southampton at the weekend.
Now back to showing what he is capable of, Eriksen has put his name into the mix, giving Erik ten Hag a positive selection headache.
A long time since Eriksen’s last Manchester United goal
Christian Eriksen’s poor performance last season is summed up by the fact he scored only one goal in 2023/24. He has doubled that tally already in 2024/25.
Eriksen’s last Manchester United goal came in August 2023 in the 3-2 home victory against Nottingham Forest, 13 months ago.
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