It has been a tough season for Manchester United in 2023/24. With just four games to go, including an FA Cup final against Manchester City, United will be hoping to end on a high. They have been on a poor run of form, which has seen them win just one win in eight games, plus the win on penalties in the FA Cup semi-final against Coventry.
The Red Devils currently sit in eighth in the Premier League on 54 points. There is a three-point gap between them and the final Europa League spot, and the Conference League spot, currently occupied by Newcastle and Chelsea respectively, who are both on 57 points.
However, the underlying numbers are much worse than that. According to Understat, United’s expected points total is just 42.49 points, which would place them 14th in the Premier League table.
Of course, it has not been an easy season for Erik ten Hag, largely due to the sheer amount of injuries he has had to handle. The Dutchman’s side has had an unfortunate 60 cases of injury or illness this season, with key players including Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw sidelined for most of the campaign.
However, Ten Hag does have an important player set to return from injury for Arsenal’s trip to Old Trafford on Sunday, which could see one of his signings from his first season in charge dropped from the side.
Christian Eriksen's season in numbers
The man in question here is Denmark international Christian Eriksen, who has found himself in the side in recent weeks, despite a season in which he has only played fleeting minutes for United.
The former Tottenham midfielder has featured just 25 times in all competitions this term, with 19 of those coming in the Premier League. In total, Eriksen has played 1,410 minutes in all competitions, which equates to only 15 full 90 minutes, scoring once and registering two assists along the way.
In his debut year at Old Trafford, Eriksen was a vital player until January, when he suffered an injury in the FA Cup which kept him out until April. Prior to that injury, the 32-year-old had been a key cog in a midfield made up of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes.
However, he has struggled with fitness this season, and at times can struggle to complete a full game if he plays from the start. Not only that, the emergence of Kobbie Mainoo has pushed Eriksen further down the pecking order, meaning there have been even fewer opportunities for the Dane.
Couple that with a hopeless performance against Palace, which was awarded a 1/10 rating by MEN's Samuel Luckhurst and it would not be a shock if he comes out of the team.
Another player, who has had a key role this season under Ten Hag, could well slot into the side along with Mainoo and Fernandes against Arsenal, which would see Eriksen drop the bench against Arsenal.
The man to replace Christian Eriksen
Scotland international Scott McTominay has become a key player under Ten Hag in 2023/24, which has perhaps been surprising to many fans, given he nearly left last summer. West Ham were linked with a £45m move for the midfielder, as per The Telegraph.
McTominay has scored ten goals in all competitions, which is actually United’s third most in the entire squad; only Fernandes with 15 and summer signing Rasmus Hojlund with 14 have scored more times than the Scot.
Indeed, the seven goals McTominay has in the Premier League is his best tally since making his debut under Jose Mourinho in the 2016/17 campaign.
2016/17
0
2017/18
0
2018/19
2
2019/20
4
2020/21
4
2021/22
1
2022/23
1
2023/24
7
McTominay’s effectiveness as a box-crashing, all-phase number eight in midfield has been clear to see this season. His physicality and power to get on the end of crosses has been a key way United have found the back of the net this season, and it has bailed them out on multiple occasions, earning them crucial points when a draw or defeat seemed likely.
Not only has this been noticed by Ten Hag, who has made plenty of use of McTominay’s physicality and box-crashing ability, but former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has noted it in the past.
In 2020, the United legend said that the 27-year-old is “a physical monster”, before acknowledging the fact that McTominay “never shirks anything and he gets his rewards”. This has certainly been the case this season.
It could well be the case that Ten Hag decides to drop Eriksen in favour of McTominay on Sunday. Given his knack for scoring clutch goals, plus his physicality against the likes of Declan Rice and Thomas Partey, he could well be a difference-maker as United look to spoil Arsenal’s title challenge.
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