The final result of a 1-1 draw on Sunday evening accurately reflected the balance of play, as both Manchester United and Arsenal had their respective opportunities during the Premier League match.
The visitors faced consequences in the first half due to their lack of offensive effectiveness, as Bruno Fernandes skillfully converted a free-kick during stoppage time. In the second half, Declan Rice ensured that the Red Devils would regret their missed chances by scoring a powerful equaliser, having previously played for West Ham United.
Despite the shared points, Ruben Amorim could take away several positives from the match, particularly with Fernandes once again standing out as a key performer for his team, which has not been meeting expectations.
Man United’s best performers vs Arsenal
Fernandes has undoubtedly established himself as a consistent starter; however, it is his attacking midfield colleague, Christian Eriksen, who may be concerned about his position in Amorim’s future lineups, following a rather unremarkable display against Mikel Arteta’s team.
In fact, the player wearing number 14 did not attempt a single dribble throughout the match, appearing hesitant while playing alongside the skillful Fernandes. Furthermore, he did not challenge Raya with any shots on goal and recorded fewer touches than Andre Onana, with a total of 53.
| Eriksen’s performance in numbers | |
|---|---|
| Minutes played | 76 |
| Goals scored | 0 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Shots | 0 |
| Touches | 34 |
| Accurate passes | 18/25 (72%) |
| Possession lost | 11x |
| Accurate crosses | 0/1 |
| Accurate long balls | 2/5 |
| Successful dribbles | 0 |
| Total duels won | 1/4 |
| Stats by Sofascore | |
The performance of the veteran Danish player was subpar across all aspects, as evidenced by the fact that seven of his 25 passes were inaccurate, resulting in a loss of possession on 11 occasions, or approximately once every three touches.
Furthermore, one could contend that his reluctance to engage in challenges—evidenced by his participation in only a single duel throughout the match—proved detrimental to his team when Rice scored with a powerful shot. Eriksen was the nearest player to the England international but failed to make a significant effort to prevent him from equalizing.
As a result, it is possible that his position in the starting lineup may soon be occupied by a more energetic player in upcoming matches. Gary Neville has suggested that the United squad should undergo significant changes in the near future, and Eriksen is among those who may be considered for departure as his contract is set to expire this summer.
Samuel Luckhurst, a journalist for the Manchester Evening News, assigned Eriksen a disappointing rating of 5/10 following the match, remarking that he contributed “very little” when in possession of the ball. This assessment aligns with his underwhelming season thus far, having recorded only one assist in the league.
While some players continue to demonstrate their value and commitment to remaining at Old Trafford, others appear to be on the verge of leaving, with Eriksen firmly positioned within that undesirable category.