Ten Hag to start this Man United star if Eriksen doesn’t recover for Tottenham game

Christian Eriksen missed Sunday’s goalless draw against Newcastle United at Old Trafford due to illness.

Ahead of Wednesday’s Premier League game against Tottenham at Old Trafford, Samuel Luckhurst has claimed Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag intends to start Scott McTominay in midfield if Eriksen is unable to recover for the game against Tottenham.

Ten Hag opted for a midfield trio of Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro and Fred for the game against Newcastle United but looks set to drop Fred for McTominay against Tottenham if Eriksen doesn’t recover.

McTominay missed the game against Newcastle United due to suspension.

Erik ten Hag has provided fitness updates on Manchester United’s homegrown defenders, Axel Tuanzebe and Brandon Williams.

Neither player has featured under Ten Hag, with Williams missing out on United’s summer tour of Thailand and Australia due to his injury issue.

Tuanzebe flew out with the rest of the squad in July, but he wasn’t involved in the 4-0 victory over Liverpool in Bangkok and departed the tour prior to the Australia leg, being replaced by Will Fish, who is now on loan with Hibernian.

Both Axel and Brandon have been back at Carrington in recent weeks, with the latter further ahead in terms of his recovery timeline, according to Ten Hag.

“I see good progress with Brandon Williams. He returned on the pitch, individual-based,” he told reporters at the pre-match press conference ahead of Tottenham’s visit.

“Axel is still in, working inside so he’s not back on the pitch. I think it will be difficult for Axel to return before Christmas.

“Brandon, [I’m] probably not talking about [him being] back in the squad for the games, but probably in the training for the team training.”

Tuanzebe, who last played for United in the 2021 Europa League final, spent last season on loan with Aston Villa and Napoli, while Williams played 29 times across all competitions for relegated Norwich City.

His last Reds appearance came on the final day of the 2020/21 campaign, when a much-changed side beat Wolves 2-1 at Molineux under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

United’s defensive options have been limited in recent weeks, with Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka absent since the international break and Raphael Varane missing the trip to Omonia Nicosia due to a foot injury.