Ten Hag risks his job with Eriksen call after 0-4 defeat

Erik ten Hag is confident Casemiro will bounce back from his disastrous performance at Liverpool and is ready to face newcomer Manuel Ugarte – but neither will start against Southampton after Christian Eriksen was strangely recalled.

The 32-year-old Brazilian star arrived from Real Madrid shortly after the Dutchman was appointed in 2022 and has made an impressive start at Old Trafford.

But Casemiro failed to reach such heights last season and delivered an alarming performance against Liverpool two weeks ago, gifting them two goals before was substituted at half-time of the 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford.

Talk of a possible exit during the international break has not come to fruition and Ten Hag said he expects the midfielder to be back in action when United return to action at Southampton.

But that was before he selected his eleven and included Eriksen, whose last Premier League start ended in a 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in May.

Manchester United team: Onana, Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Dalot, Eriksen, Mainoo, Diallo, Fernandes, Rashford, Zirkzee

Before the game, Ten Hag said on TNT Sports about Eriksen: “He deserves it.”

“We definitely need him (Casemiro),” said the Dutchman. “And of course I'm talking to him about the situation, but everyone can have a bad day at the office, or do you never have a bad day at the office?”

“Of course it's a different approach (in dealing with a young player). He's experienced and it's not the first time he's had a bad game and now he has to overcome that too.

“But that’s normal in life. There are ups and downs.

“That's the case in your life and also in the life of a football player, but for a football player it's obviously obvious. Many people watch it and have an opinion about it and you have to deal with it too.

“But he knows how to deal with it, and nobody’s career only goes up, neither the team level nor the team pattern only goes up.

“You have to deal with it, but then it's about what the end result is.”

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Casemiro's Liverpool nightmare happened on the same day that new signing Ugarte was presented to the crowd at Old Trafford.

The 23-year-old was in United's crosshairs all summer and arrived on the last day of the club's history from Paris Saint-Germain for an initial fee of 50 million euros (41.1 million pounds), with the transfer fee potentially rising to 60 million euros (50.5 million pounds).

When asked if he had spoken to Casemiro about Ugarte's arrival given their similar profiles, Ten Hag said: “I usually do, yes, and in this case I did too.

“But players like that, especially in our club, know that there is always competition when you play at this level.

“Because they also know that you can only be successful in this club if you have a squad that has to cover five leagues.

“You can't have a squad where we only have one player in a position who can cover that. So you need at least two players in each position who can cover that. Sometimes it's three for two.

“It's fine if you have very robust players. But he understands, all the players will understand, and then it's about what fits the team best.

“They have to prove it and the key word is that they have to take responsibility to win games for their club.”

Ten Hag first noticed Ugarte in the group stages of the Champions League three years ago and United's scouting team also believed that he “would fit really well into our team”.

“I already played him as Ajax coach when we played against Sporting Lisbon,” he said. “He's been on my radar for quite a long time.”

“He comes, a late transfer, but he plays in a very important position.

“You have to combine defense with attack and attack with defense.

“Communication is very important there to guide the team, to lead the team, to create the connection between attack and defense, defense and attack.

“We have to help him, we have to give him instructions on how to play this role, but what we have seen is that he already knows a lot.

“He has the profile that we think makes him suitable for this role and now we need to teach him a few details about how it works in our team.”

Chief executive Omar Berrada publicly pledged his support for the Dutchman ahead of the loss to Liverpool, but he knows results are needed to avoid a third consecutive defeat.

“In football, you have to win,” said Ten Hag. “In football, you have to perform. That's clear.”

“But as I said, I have delivered here, and it is good that the new leadership recognizes this, that they tell us, and that we are here together.

“We are working together to be even more successful because we have higher goals than we have already achieved.”