Man United ace Christian Eriksen has played a vital role in Erik ten Hag’s 100 per cent win record after the World Cup.
Christian Eriksen in action for Manchester United against Bournemouth (Image: 2023 Manchester United FC via Getty Images)
Christian Eriksen’s set piece ability will be giving Frank Lampard sleepless nights.
Manchester United welcome Everton to Old Trafford on Friday night for their FA Cup third round and the pressure upon Lampard’s shoulders is monumental. Brighton’s 4-1 win at Goodison Park on Tuesday was met with a resounding chorus of boos from the home fans.
United await the Toffees next and the two sides come into the game in polar opposite form. Erik ten Hag’s side have won all four of their post World Cup matches, scoring nine times and are yet to concede a goal since the season’s resumption.
The 3-0 win over Bournemouth saw Casemiro, Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford find the back of the net and Ten Hag would have been delighted that a defender, midfielder and forward all found an attacking return against the Cherries. The Dutchman has complained about a lack of goals from his side this season – specifically from both the midfield and defence.
Ten Hag may have been angry over the number of chances his side conceded, yet the result saw the Reds establish a strong foothold in their bid for a finish in the Champions League places at the end of the season. The former Ajax manager may well be a perfectionist, but in a league of fine margins he will surely get used to the right outcome ultimately mattering more than the performance.
In fact, seven of United’s 11 victories in the league have seen them win by just a one-goal margin. It is therefore no surprise that Ten Hag is banging the drum over his side being more clinical, as he knows that it can only take a handful of missed chances to come back to haunt his team.
Yet the 52-year-old may have just found a potential escape route the next time his side have their backs up against the wall. Eriksen delivered a sumptuous free-kick to pick out Casemiro for United’s opening goal against Bournemouth, with the Brazilian guiding the Dane’s searching ball past a helpless Mark Travers from close range.
It was the second time in as many weeks that the former Brentford man had provided an assist from a set piece after Rashford fired home Eriksen’s well-worked corner during the win over Nottingham Forest. The 30-year-old is providing a genuine threat for Ten Hag’s side from both free-kicks and corners.
Last term, only Norwich (three) and Watford (six) scored fewer goals from set pieces than United (seven). Comparatively, Manchester City (22) and Liverpool (19) topped the charts, more than doubling the output from the Reds.
United struggled to make the most of their set pieces in the 2021/22 season.
Those two goals are United’s only two from set pieces in the Premier League so far this term, but Eriksen could well push on with more assists from free-kicks and corners between now and the end of the season. They currently sit 16th in terms of goals from set-pieces – with Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur leading the way with 10.
Everton may well come to United and employ a low-block in an attempt to frustrate the likes of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, before looking to hit Ten Hag’s side on the counter. Although it would not be the preferred route to goal, nor the most glamorous, the right-boot of Eriksen standing over a dead ball may make all the difference on Friday night.
Should United need an escape route, they now have a new option to turn to.
Source: dailylifeworld.com
