Manchester United’s push for a top-four finish has been hampered by the three-month absence of midfielder Christian Eriksen.
The 30-year-old sustained the horrific injury during United’s 3-1 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Reading.
Eriksen was forced off in the second half after being tackled from behind by Reading forward Andy Carroll.
Later, the midfielder was seen leaving Old Trafford on crutches, with scans revealing that he is set to miss a significant amount of time.
United is hopeful that Eriksen will be able to play again before the end of the season, and his return is expected in late April or early May if his rehabilitation goes as planned.
With the recent injury blow, manager Erik Ten Hag will be weighing his options heading into the crucial months of the season.
Who could Ten Hag replace?
With Eriksen ruled out for three months, manager Erik Ten Hag will be considering who he could start in place of the Danish midfielder.
He has also featured heavily in United’s cup games, playing in all six of their Europa League games, and has made four appearances in the Carabao Cup.
In terms of how United line up, the side tends to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Eriksen operating in the two with Casemiro.
Going forward, it looks as if the club will likely stick in Brazilian midfielder, Fred. Furthermore, Ten Hag also has Scott McTominay to come into the starting eleven.
Could it result in a formation change?
United has been playing 4-2-3-1 so far this season. Ten Hag has been using this system for the majority of his managerial career.
As a result, he is unlikely to change formation ahead of United’s upcoming games.
If the manager decides to change his formation, he may revert to a midfield three and potentially replace Bruno Fernandes with Casemiro and McTominay.
Ten Hag was a big fan of the 4-2-3-1 formation during his time at Ajax. Having said that, he did occasionally switch to a 4-3-3 formation. Ten Hag’s versatile approach allows him to change systems; however, United has had a lot of success with 4-2-3-1 this season, and he is unlikely to change it up at this point.
What games will he be unable to watch?
With the season only halfway through, games are coming thick and fast.
It is safe to say that the midfielder will miss important games while he recovers from his horrific injury.
Eriksen could miss up to 18 games if he is sidelined until the end of April.
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