Erik ten Hag confirms long-term injured Man Utd player will return ‘in the coming weeks’

Erik ten Hag has confirmed Christian Eriksen should return to the Manchester United team ‘in the coming weeks’.

The midfielder hasn’t played since the end of January due to an ankle injury he picked up in  an FA Cup win over Reading. Eriksen was on the receiving end of a robust challenge from Andy Carroll, and Ten Hag later described the foul as something which ‘doesn’t belong on the pitch’.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man has not played since, but Ten Hag claimed prior to the international break that Eriksen would feature again this season. It was reported this week that the Danish international could be available for next week’s Premier League clash against Everton, and Ten Hag has now confirmed he is nearing a return to action.

"Christian Eriksen is back on the pitch, not yet in the team training but I expect him in the coming week, [or] weeks, back in team training so will be available for games again,” the United boss told the club’s website.

"So we know how big an impact Christian Eriksen had on our game, but also others, like Anthony Martial, are also returning in team training and [there were] no injuries, luckily, from the internationals. That’s always a concern as a manager when the players leave you, how you get them back and, especially, in this stage of the season when it comes to the end, to the final stage."

While giving encouraging updates on Eriksen and Martial, Ten Hag also said he is hopeful Marcus Rashford will be available for the trip to Newcastle United this weekend, after the attacker was forced to pull out of the latest England squad with a niggle.

Asked if Rashford will be fit for the encounter at St James’ Park, Ten Hag replied: "I think so. He returned back into the team training on Friday so we are quite positive that he’s available for Sunday. So, of course, we are happy with that because he’s a very important player for us."

Casemiro, Donny van de Beek and Alejandro Garnacho are set to miss Sunday’s game while Raphael Varane remains a doubt.