Manchester United signed Chrisitan Eriksen last season after the Danish midfielder enjoyed a successful second half of the 2021–22 season with Brentford. One of the best Danish midfielders of all time, Eriksen is giving his 100% for the Red Devils. His creativity and the desire to keep moving the ball are what makes him a champion player.
Erik ten Hag and his men were inconsistent last season. Their absence is the biggest concern. This season, the team has lost two of the four matches played in the Premier League. The Red Devils look a bit unsettled, but players like Eriksen have performed decently. Here are some of the stats of the Danish midfielder that show why he is proving to be the difference-maker in the squad.
Creativity through the middle
Christian Eriksen is one of the most creative forces on the team. Manchester United haven’t been at their best when it comes to scoring regularly. However, Eriksen is one of the players who tries to make it happen whenever he has the ball at his feet.
The player averages more than 50 passes per 90 minutes and has an accuracy rate of around 86%. He is a player who is not afraid to attempt a pass into dangerous areas like the final third and the opposition’s penalty box. The above viz shows the progressive passes attempted by the 31-year-old Dane in 2023–24. Some of these passes have been crosses, while other passes are attempted through the middle.
Eriksen’s positive play earned him nine assists combined in the Premier League, UEFA Europa League, and FA Cup. His ability to deliver good set pieces is what makes him a huge asset to the team. Eriksen is also clever at finding a teammate with short passes attempted from the edge of the final third. Overall, the player provided 47 shot assists.
Christian Eriksen provided a superb assist to Marcus Rashford in their match against Arsenal. This was a defence-splitting ball that the player attempted from just inside the defensive half, and it landed on the edge of the Arsenal penalty box. Rashford converted this chance, and Eriksen added his first assist of the season.
The 31-year-old will be aiming to score more goals this season. He only scored one last season and has already matched this tally by scoring a goal against Nottingham Forest in a comeback win.
Eriksen has attempted 53 shots combined in the two seasons, and 13 have been on target. Most of the shots have been attempted from outside the box and have been off-target. This is one of the areas where the Danish midfielder will look to improve in the season ahead.
Defensive contributions
Christian Eriksen’s work rate is high, and the midfielder has contributed a lot to the defence of his team. This season, the player has been decent at winning defensive duels and making interceptions. Eriksen won 68.2% of his defensive duels and made 20 interceptions in the first four matches of 2023–24. Playing on the left of the midfield three, the Danish player covers a lot of ground, and a couple of his interceptions came inside the opposition penalty box.
Manchester United depend a lot on Eriksen’s creativity. He has the vision to break defences and find a teammate in scoring areas. The Dutch manager will demand more from his players this season and hope that Eriksen proves to be the difference-maker in big games.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
