Why did Christian Eriksen miss Man Utd’s Premier League fixture against Newcastle?

The Manchester United midfielder was not named in the matchday squad by Erik ten Hag.
Christian Eriksen missed Manchester United's Premier League game with Newcastle United due to illness. Credit: Getty.Christian Eriksen missed Manchester United's Premier League game with Newcastle United due to illness. Credit: Getty.
Christian Eriksen missed Manchester United's Premier League game with Newcastle United due to illness. Credit: Getty.

Christian Eriksen missed Manchester United’s Premier League encounter with Newcastle United on Sunday through illness, Erik ten Hag confirmed ahead of the game.

The midfielder was not named in the matchday squad when the teams were announced an hour before kick-off at Old Trafford. With Scott McTominay suspended, Ten Hag went for a midfield trio of Fred and Casemiro, with Bruno Fernandes in a more advanced area.

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Speaking to MUTV after the teams were revealed Ten Hag said: “He [Eriksen] is ill and we have some illness in the squad. Marcus Rashord, he has enough energy to play a couple of minutes and he will.”

Sunday was the first Premier League game Eriksen has missed for United this season and, prior to the visit of Newcastle, he’d been absent for just 14 minutes of league football so far in 2022/23. Eriksen was, however, named as a substitute in midweek and came on for the latter stages of United’s 1-0 win over Omonia Nicosia.

The Danish international has played in a slightly deeper role this term from where he played previously for Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford. Eriksen left the latter in the summer and joined United on a free transfer.

Meanwhile, Anthony Martial was also missing from United’s squad on Sunday, with the striker suffering from a back injury that kept him out of the win over Omonia. Harry Maguire was another not selected due to a hamstring issue while Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Donny van de Beek are longer-term injury concerns.