Jamie Carragher questions Erik ten Hag’s decision during Manchester derby

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Jamie Carragher has questioned a decision made by Erik ten Hag during Manchester United’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at Old Trafford.

Erik ten Hag has been widely criticised for some of the decisions he made during the Manchester derby defeat and has been pulled up on one thing in particular.

The former Ajax boss decided to substitute Sofyan Amrabat at half-time and replaced him with Mason Mount, a very attacking substitution.

The decision, baffling at the time, proved to be the wrong one as Manchester United were truly dominated in the second half and City could have had three more if they really wanted to.

Amrabat substitution

The decision to replace Amrabat, who may well be the only defensively assured option for the Red Devils, was truly odd. Mount being brought on was the right decision but for the wrong man.

The decision to bring on the 24-year-old was a suicidal decision, not because of the quality of the player, who was unfairly dropped after a string of promising performances, but because of the man he replaced.

Carragher, speaking after the game, believes that the decision to take off the Moroccan was the wrong one and suggested another United man should have been replaced.

“I was surprised Eriksen didn’t come off at half-time, rather than Amrabat,” a rather confused Carragher questioned after the game.

Eriksen’s struggle

The decision to start Eriksen in a game where United wouldn’t have the lion’s share of possession was bizarre. His lack of pressing off the ball made him, at times, invisible in the encounter.

This was Eriksen’s first start since the defeat to Bayern Munich. It seemed an odd fixture to turn to him in.

Mount should have started against City and he could have made the difference but instead, he came on and, despite all of his running, looked lost at times.

The Englishman has been unfairly treated recently and Ten Hag seriously needs to bring in the midfielder for the game against Newcastle United, after such a long courtship of the former Chelsea man in the summer.