Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen was dealt a brutal injury blow on Monday; he will miss at least three months after suffering an ankle injury against Reading in the FA Cup on Saturday.
Eriksen was seen leaving Old Trafford on crutches after a challenge from Andy Carroll, who was sent off later in the match after another late tackle on Casemiro.
“He's disappointed, we are disappointed, but it happens in top football and you have to deal with it,” Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag told a news conference on Tuesday.
“I think you can never fill that [gap] because every player has his own characteristics, identification. Another player will always fill in in a different way, but it doesn't mean you have to be less successful. It's quite clear Christian Eriksen brings top quality to our squad and he has some specifics that are hard to replace, such as his impacts in the final third with his final ball.”
It's a major blow for ten Hag and United, who are already missing midfielder Donny van de Beek, who's been ruled out until at least the summer with a knee injury.
“Christian Eriksen is expected to be out of action for an extended period because of an ankle injury sustained in our FA Cup victory over Reading on Saturday,” Manchester United said in a statement on Tuesday. “There is hope that Christian can return in time to play a role in the final stages of the season.”
The club expect that Eriksen will be sidelined until late April, but there is hope within the organization that he may play again this year.
Man U currently sits in fourth place in the Premier League with a 12-3-5 record; they've won three of their last five games in league play.
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