Manchester United’s summer acquisition of Christian Eriksen left some wondering where the Denmark international would fit in at Old Trafford, but the early stages of the season suggest he has become an integral player for Erik ten Hag.
A rocky start for the Red Devils saw Eriksen used as a false nine against Brighton, before taking on the role of the deeper midfielder during an ill-fated trip to Brentford.
Since then, he has operated more like a number eight, sometimes alongside McTominay and sometimes ahead of him.
It is a position in which he has thrived and, with a skill set unlike any other United midfielder, he has become an integral part of the team.
Eriksen’s involvement in moving the ball forward for United is evident to all and the statistics back it up.
An astonishing 37% of all his passes move the ball forward (Squawka), highlighting what the Dane brings to the Red Devils midfield.
With 65 touches per game despite United having barely had possession as a team so far this season, it’s clear that Eriksen has become the preferred choice of his team-mates when looking for a deep-lying creator.
He has also been resourceful at forward position and his lone assist is sure to find company soon given that he is currently creating chances at a rate of 1.4 per game.
His consistency and passing range have not been seen in a Manchester United midfield for quite some time and Eriksen is expected to be very reliable over the course of the campaign.
That could be a concern as the hectic schedule really kicks into high gear as Erik ten Hag simply doesn’t have a player on his squad capable of providing a fraction of Eriksen’s playing qualities.
When a player is so vital to his team’s game plan, the concern is that he could end up on the floor, a problem United have had with other players in recent years.
United will need to find alternative solutions to get the ball onto the pitch at some point, if only to take some physical and creative pressure off Eriksen.
For now though, the temptation is just to enjoy having such a cool operator in the engine room.
