According to his debut against Atletico Madrid at the Ullevaal Stadion, Christian Eriksen is destined to be much more than a squad player at Manchester United says Scott McTominay
Danny Murphy made that prediction earlier this month when United revealed Eriksen would join them as a free agent. The Dane may have been free, but it has nothing to do with his ability.
United has long admired the Dane and didn’t hesitate to sign him this summer after his strong second half of the season at Brentford demonstrated that he has fully recovered from his cardiac arrest at the European Championships a year ago.
Manchester United suffered their first defeat of pre-season as Joao Felix’s late strike secured a 1-0 victory for Atletico Madrid in Oslo.
It was a fiery encounter and a friendly only by name, with United midfielder Fred sent off in the closing stages for a second bookable offense moments after Felix’s ferocious strike broke the deadlock.
Eriksen came on for Anthony Martial in the second half in Oslo and immediately created a chance with a superb diagonal pass that just eluded Marcus Rashford and Anthony Elanga.
He then whipped in a corner that presented Harry Maguire with a golden opportunity in front of goal, but the United captain headed wide.
Whether Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes can play in the same team – certainly if United signs Frenkie De Jong as well – remains to be seen, but he can clearly still be a force at the highest level.
PHYSICALITY
United’s lack of physicality was bemoaned by interim boss Ralf Rangnick on a number of occasions last season, but Erik ten Hag has been working on his players’ fitness this summer and the new manager seems to have added a bit of steel as well.
No one can condone Fred’s stamp on Alvaro Morata that led to his dismissal for a second booking in the 90th minute but, typically, Atletico had been dishing out enough punishment of their own in what was meant to be a friend. Anthony Elanga, Martial, and Maguire all needed treatment at different stages of the game.
Scott McTominay didn’t hold back either when he barged into goalkeeper Jan Oblak before half-time, sparking a 20-man melee and earning a booking for both men. It’s high time United added a little bite to their game, and if it can be channeled in the right way then Ten Hag won’t be too unhappy.
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