Manchester United vs Sevilla: Erik ten Hag believes Anthony Martial is ready to start in Europa League tie

Christian Eriksen is another player who has returned from injury and is in contention for a start on Thursday.

File photo of Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag; Credit; Twitter/ @ManUtd
By Karthik Raman | Apr 12, 2023 | 3 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Manchester United supporters have good and bad news to deal with ahead of their Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final first leg tie against Sevilla. The club has informed that Marcus Rashford will miss a few games following an injury. However, on a positive front, Anthony Martial is ready to start for the Red Devils following his lengthy injury layoff. The Frenchman has made a couple of substitute appearances after returning from injury.

However, manager Erik ten Hag has informed that he is ready to start the game against Sevilla on Thursday. Asked whether Martial is in contention for a start on Thursday night, ten Hag said, “I think he is ready, yeah, to start a game but as I said the frontline against Brentford did really well and we decided to continue with that against Everton and again they did very well. The advantage was also that we can bring Anthony Martial back slowly in the team, give him minutes, get him used to game at the highest level, to a higher intensity. But I think already against Everton he was ready to start the game.”

Meanwhile, ten Hag was asked about their star striker Marcus Rashford’s injury situation and he replied, “A few games. So that’s the statement. So I can’t give more details of it because we don’t know it. We have to see how it develops, the injury.” He was then quizzed about how Rashford has taken the news. “Of course it is a setback and he is disappointed about it but he is not totally broken because he knows he will return quickly. He is optimistic and he has started straightaway on his recovery and his rehab. That helps him to get back soon,” he was quoted as saying by the club’s website.

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Erik ten Hag on Christian Eriksen

Christian Eriksen is another player who has returned from injury and is in contention for a start on Thursday. Shifting the topic to Eriksen, ten Hag said, “I think the balance in the midfield was [for] a long time very good with Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Bruno [Fernandes]. And Christian alongside Casemiro, I think the co-operation between the two of them was very good.”

“Casemiro, the balance player, the link-up player, and then Christian can support him in the link-up but also go to the final part of the game as he creates chances, key actions, key passes, final passes. For us, he was a really important player. I think he had seven or eight assists in the Premier League. I think that tells the story of how important he is for our front players because he sees the pass and he gives the pass.”

Erik ten Hag also reserved special praise for Marcel Sabitzer, who is on loan from Bayern Munich. “He is doing fantastic so he is really well adjusted to Manchester United, to the Premier League and, as a person, he is a great person. He really suits our dressing room well and in our game. He is an intelligent player and we are happy with the role he takes in this moment,” he explained.





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