Manchester United’s 1-0 victory over Luton Town in the 12th round of the Premier League was not complete as Christian Eriksen and Rasmus Hojlund left the field early due to injuries.
At the end of the first half, Eriksen sat down on the field after a self-fall without contact with anyone. After a few minutes, the 31-year-old midfielder left the field to make way for Mason Mount – the £76 million newcomer given the legendary number 7 shirt.
In the 79th minute, it was Hojlund’s turn to sit down and continuously rub his hand on the wrist area. The 20-year-old forward did not walk away casually when making room for Anthony Martial, but his early departure still caused concern.
In the post-match press conference, Ten Hag did not know the specific situation and had to wait for the results of medical examinations to determine the issues within the next 24 hours. According to the Dutch coach, Eriksen and Hojlund are not seriously injured but continue to cause difficulties for Man Utd regarding personnel. Previously, Tyrell Malacia, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jonny Evans, Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Amad Diallo, and Luke Shaw were out due to injuries, and Jadon Sancho was disciplined.
“We have talked about it many times. Injuries reduce the team’s level and performance. But hopefully, the players will return, and these new injuries are not too serious,” Ten Hag said.
When asked more about Eriksen’s injury, the Dutch coach replied, “He slipped, but that’s it. We have to evaluate, diagnose, conclude, and then understand the situation.”
Eriksen and Hojlund were called up when Denmark played the last two matches against Slovenia on November 17 and Northern Ireland on November 20 in Group H of the Euro 2024 qualifiers. Denmark is currently in second place with 19 points, behind Slovenia in goal difference and ahead of Kazakhstan by four points. They will surely secure a spot in Euro 2024 if they win one of the two upcoming matches.
Ten Hag believes it is too early to say whether Eriksen and Hojlund can join the national team. “That could happen,” the 53-year-old coach admitted. “But right now, I can’t make an accurate assessment. We have to wait and see what the conclusion is.”
In the victory against Luton Town, Ten Hag received a yellow card in injury time for complaining that the referee gave the opponent a throw-in. With the third yellow card in the Premier League since the beginning of the season, the Dutch coach will be banned from coaching from the sidelines in the next match away to Everton on November 26.
Ten Hag accepts this punishment and trusts that the coaching staff is capable enough to replace him. The 53-year-old coach affirmed that he was close to the situation and that the referee was wrong to award Luton Town a throw-in. “Everything is clear, and it should be a throw-in for Man Utd. That’s my perspective, and that’s why I got a yellow card.”
When asked if he would discipline himself for the card, Ten Hag replied, “If players receive a red card, they can be punished. But not with a yellow card. There are certain times when you have to accept decisions, and I should do that, too.”
