Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag 'hopeful' Christian Eriksen will be fit to face Spurs

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is hoping Christian Eriksen will be available to face Tottenham on Wednesday night and admits his side missed the creative Dane against Newcastle.

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Summer signing Eriksen, who has been a key player under the new manager since moving to Old Trafford, missed Sunday’s stalemate at Old Trafford due to illness with the hosts mustering just two shots on target in his absence.

Marcus Rashford was also struggling with illness going into the Newcastle match but managed to play around half-an-hour off the bench – and very nearly scored the winning goal.

Ten Hag is hoping Eriksen will also be able to contribute in some way when high-flying Spurs – who have only lost once this season – visit on Wednesday, also acknowledging what an important player Eriksen has become for United.

Asked about a possible return date for Eriksen, and United’s lack of creativity without him, Ten Hag told Viaplay: ‘We miss him when he’s not available.

‘But we have a squad and another 11 players on the pitch. So then we have to construct another team and we can bring players from the bench, who are all good.

‘I can’t tell [if he will face Spurs]. I know you’re from Denmark, and want to know, and I want to express he’s played fantastic, at this moment, for us.

‘In our team, he really contributes to what we are at this moment. I don’t know if he will be available for Wednesday but I hope [so], of course.’

Eriksen – who had started United’s eight previous Premier League matches before the visit of Newcastle – spent six-and-half years at Tottenham and will no doubt be eager to face off against his old club.

Speaking on the Gary Neville Podcast, the United legend felt Eriksen was sorely missed against Newcastle, saying: ‘When he doesn’t play you maybe realise how big a player he is, because he connects and glues the team together.

‘He’s got that pass through the lines very quickly, he sees things, he looks over his shoulder, he’s scanning all the time.

‘It allows Fernandes really and him [to share the creative burden]. You don’t just fall upon Fernandes, you’ve got two of them then.

‘And I just thought the balance was wrong today in midfield. It’s difficult, we’ve got these gantry monitors we’re watching on, but it just felt like it wasn’t quite the same fluidity that we’ve seen with [Eriksen] in the team.’

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