Erik ten Hag is happy for Bruno Fernandes to keep playing with emotion, although he acknowledges there is a balance to strike for the Manchester United midfielder.

Fernandes scored in United's 4-1 win against Real Betis on Thursday having been the subject of intense scrutiny since Sunday's 7-0 loss at Liverpool.

The United vice-captain, who wore the armband at Anfield, was criticised for his role in a defeat in which Ten Hag's side appeared to lack leadership.

A confrontation with Trent Alexander-Arnold, followed by a push on an official, perhaps saw Fernandes fortunate not to be sent off.

Both Ten Hag and Marcus Rashford defended Fernandes ahead of the Betis game, however, and the manager was encouraged by his subsequent performance, even if there is still work to do to "stay rational" at all times.

"I was very pleased with his captaincy because he is giving the team energy," Ten Hag said ahead of Sunday's Premier League match against Southampton.

"He is not only giving the best physical output of the whole team, but also he is running in the right direction and is pointing players in that direction. He's coaching players, leading the team from a tactical perspective.

"His emotion is his weapon. But sometimes it's too strong. And yes, of course, I help him and support him. And I give him feedback.

"Sometimes he has to control his emotions, and that will help him to stay rational in the game, instead of the emotion.

"So, he has to find the balance and be rational, when to use [being] rational as a tool and when to use emotion as a tool, and that's the next step.

"I think that's a nice development point for him, and when he does it, he will be an even better player."

Meanwhile, Ten Hag offered an update on Christian Eriksen, who was ruled out for "an extended period" at the end of January due to an ankle injury.

"I think he will play [again this season], yes, definitely," Ten Hag said. "But I can't say now when [he is] expected.

"I think his progress in the rehab is okay. It's going according to plan and so we will definitely see him, but not before the international break.

"His main focus at this moment is to get back as soon as possible because we need all the players."

Phillip Billing stunned Premier League leaders Arsenal when he scored after 9.11 seconds for Bournemouth at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

It ranked as the second-fastest goal at the start of a game in Premier League history, beaten only by Shane Long's effort after 7.69 seconds for Southampton against Watford in April 2019.

Here, we take a closer look at the five fastest goals ever scored in the Premier League, as recorded by Opta.

Shane Long: Watford v Southampton, April 2019 – 7.69 seconds

There appeared to be little danger when Craig Cathcart looked to play a long ball downfield from Roberto Pereyra's kick-off, but Long had other ideas. His block fell fortuitously into his path, but there was nothing lucky about the glorious flick over the onrushing Ben Foster.

What a moment! #SaintsFC 's @ShaneLong7 celebrates the fastest goal in #PL history!   pic.twitter.com/M4fpU1sIcj

Phillip Billing, Arsenal v Bournemouth, March 2023, 9.11 seconds

Sleepy Arsenal let Bournemouth get straight on the attack, and Dango Ouattara's cross from the right took a slight touch off Gabriel Magalhaes and ran into the path of Billing, who fired past Aaron Ramsdale from close range.

Ledley King: Bradford City v Tottenham, December 2000 – 9.82 seconds

It might have held the title of quickest goal for nearly 19 years, but it certainly was not the prettiest. King powered forward from midfield and dispatched a bobbling effort past Matt Clarke, who might feel he should have done better.

Alan Shearer: Newcastle United v Manchester City, January 2003 – 10.52 seconds

The Premier League's all-time top goalscorer scarcely needed a helping hand to find the back of the net, but he got one from Carlo Nash. The Magpies hero closed down the City goalkeeper's attempted clearance and tapped into an empty net for possibly the easiest finish of his decorated career.

Christian Eriksen: Tottenham v Manchester United, January 2018 – 10.54 seconds

The Denmark international took full advantage of some generous United defending to set Spurs on their way to a 2-0 win. Son Heung-min's attempted shot was blocked into the path of Eriksen, who coolly slotted past a shell-shocked David de Gea, a future United team-mate.

Manchester United's improvement this season has been significant, there's no doubt about that.

Erik ten Hag has not only made them more disciplined, but something resembling a team identity is beginning to take shape.

The Dutchman's signings have largely been effective as well. The jury is out on Antony, though he has shown a bit more promise lately. Otherwise, however, Ten Hag gets high marks in this area.

Casemiro and Christian Eriksen have, of course, been the standout individuals in this respect. The experienced pair have brought know-how, control and general quality to the engine room, with the Brazilian also providing the destructive tendencies they long lacked.

But their excellence also highlights the significant gulf in quality to their back-ups.

United look likely to have another busy pre-season in the transfer market, but if there's one area they still need to bolster, strangely enough it's where they're arguably strongest.

A step in the right direction

That midfield trio of Casemiro, Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes is among the best of its kind in the Premier League.

While the two new arrivals have made a real impact already, quickly becoming hugely influential, that's taken some of the burden off Fernandes, who in turn has flourished.

But when you take Casemiro or Eriksen – or both, as was the case against Leeds on Wednesday and when the two tussle again on Sunday – United simply don't have the same standard or type of player.

Obviously, you can't expect a team to have two world-class options for every single position, but at Old Trafford there has to be an acceptance that they need to get as close to such depth as possible if they are to be a long-term challenger to Manchester City under Ten Hag.

Marcel Sabitzer looked fairly assured and generally promising on his first start as he filled in for Eriksen, who is out until May, during Wednesday's 2-2 draw at home to Leeds United, but Casemiro's suspension saw Fred deputise.

Fred routinely proved before this season that he isn't equipped to play as a six, so him lining up in his compatriot's position may have caused fans some stress.

In fairness to him, he didn't really fill that role at all – but then neither did anyone else. He and Sabitzer both occupied very similar positions, so United were essentially playing with two eights rather than an eight and a six.

It's no wonder they often looked outnumbered when Leeds attacked. Not only was Casemiro absent, they didn't really have anyone occupying his void.

United cannot stand still

Fred's effort certainly can't be faulted. If there's one thing he stands out for, it's his work ethic.

He ran further than any of his team-mates on Wednesday, while only Luke Ayling (24) and Alejandro Garnacho (20) engaged in more duels than his 17.

Additionally, there were nine players to register 10 or more duel involvements, and only Ayling (66.7 per cent) had a better success rate than Fred (58.8 per cent).

But it's all well and good running around lots. He didn't actually offer a great deal of defensive protection, attempting just two tackles and making one interception.

Of course, you'd not necessarily expect those figures to be through the roof in a game United largely dominated, and any lack of protection would've been forgiven had he been an effective user of the ball.

He wasn't.

The only United player (minimum 10 pass attempts) with a poorer completion rate than Fred (62.5 per cent) was Garnacho (61.9 per cent).

It was a frantic game, so it's not like being a world-class playmaker is something a player can just switch on and off.

But when United were chasing a winner, their passing seemed to get even sloppier. Fred in particular was guilty of coughing up possession in his own half on several occasions when Ten Hag's men threatened to spring a counter or a direct build-up.

Fred certainly has his uses, and Ten Hag has shown that by frequently introducing him from the bench in the second half of matches to inject a bit of energy.

But Wednesday was another reminder of how he really needs a number six behind him rather than to be the player – or one of – expected to provide control as he's like a deer in headlights against teams who press high. In a number eight role with freedom to attack, he could be a reliable option as he's technically better than many give him credit for – he cannot be the one to provide the balance, however, because he just doesn't have the composure.

United took a big step last year by finally addressing the midfield needs that had dogged them ever since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

Yet, if they are to push on from what will likely be reflected on as a positive debut campaign for Ten Hag, United cannot stand still. The signings of Casemiro and Eriksen need to be the start.

Erik ten Hag wants greater protection for players after Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen was injured by an Andy Carroll tackle during their FA Cup fourth round victory on Saturday.

The Denmark international is set to miss the majority of the rest of the season after he was caught by the Reading forward during the Red Devils' 3-1 win at Old Trafford.

Eriksen's lay-off is a major blow for the resurgent United, with the former Tottenham and Inter playmaker a central figure in their revival under Ten Hag.

Speaking ahead of his side's EFL Cup semi-final second leg with Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, the Dutchman was critical of Carroll, but also stressed the need to police such challenges more stringently.

"I'm disappointed about that," he said. "I think football has to set limits [and] restrictions to protect the players, What football wants is the best players being available on the pitch.

"This is a tackle, and the two tackles after, that doesn't belong on the football pitch, because it's a high risk [it will] injure your colleague."

Carroll was dismissed during the Royals' defeat after consecutive yellow cards during the latter stages of the game, with Eriksen subsequently departing Old Trafford on crutches.

Asked if he felt the Reading man was trying to deliberately injure his players, Ten Hag added: "I think I made my view about it. I think it was quite clear what I think, what my thoughts were."

While several of United's Premier League rivals bolstered their January transfer window with high-profile deals, the club took a more low-key approach owing to financial frameworks, though were attempting to add Bayern Munich midfielder Marcel Sabitzer on loan on transfer deadline day.

Ten Hag previously acknowledged he had hoped for greater recruitment, but stressed he understands why United have operated the way they have in the market.

"I think as a manager, you're always trying to find a way to make your team better," he added. "I wouldn't be a good manager, if I didn't make the request.

"If there are opportunities, it is my job in the club to tell the club that there are opportunities to strengthen our squad and our time

"But it's about financial frameworks, [with] what is acceptable, what is reasonable and what we need to fulfil our ambitions. We have to follow it though."

Erik ten Hag wants greater protection for players after Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen was injured by an Andy Carroll tackle during their FA Cup fourth round victory on Saturday.

The Denmark international is set to miss the majority of the rest of the season after he was caught by the Reading forward during the Red Devils' 3-1 win at Old Trafford.

Eriksen's layoff is a major blow for the resurgent United, with the former Tottenham and Inter playmaker a central figure in their revival under Ten Hag.

Speaking ahead of his side's EFL Cup semi-final second leg with Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, the Dutchman was critical of Carroll, but also stressed the need to police such challenges more stringently.

"I'm disappointed about that," he said. "I think football has to set limits [and] restrictions to protect the players, What football wants is the best players being available on the pitch.

"This is a tackle, and the two tackles after, that doesn't belong on the football pitch, because it's a high risk [it will] injure your colleague."

Carroll was dismissed during the Royals' defeat after consecutive yellow cards during the latter stages of the game, with Eriksen subsequently departing Old Trafford on crutches.

Asked if he felt the Reading man was trying to deliberately injure his players, Ten Hag added: "I think I made my view about it. I think it was quite clear what I think, what my thoughts were."

While several of United's Premier League rivals bolstered their January transfer window with high-profile deals, the club took a more low-key approach owing to financial frameworks, though were attempting to add Bayern Munich midfielder Marcel Sabitzer on loan on transfer deadline day.

Ten Hag previously acknowledged he had hoped for greater recruitment, but stressed he understands why United have operated the way they have in the market.

"I think as a manager, you're always trying to find a way to make your team better," he added. "I wouldn't be a good manager, if I didn't make the request.

"If there are opportunities, it is my job in the club to tell the club that there are opportunities to strengthen our squad and our time

"But it's about financial frameworks, [with] what is acceptable, what is reasonable and what we need to fulfil our ambitions. We have to follow it though."

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is not expecting to delve into the transfer market on deadline day despite losing Christian Eriksen to injury for three months.

United confirmed on Tuesday that Eriksen is likely to be out at least until late April after sustaining an ankle injury in the FA Cup win over Reading on Saturday.

He was on the receiving end of a heavy tackle from Andy Carroll, who went unpunished before eventually getting sent off for another two forceful challenges.

Losing Eriksen is a major blow for United given his prominence in his first campaign at Old Trafford, with Bruno Fernandes (2,603) the only outfield player to record more minutes on the pitch than the Dane (2,274) for Ten Hag's men this term.

United will suddenly be without one of their chief creators, as Eriksen's 53 key passes is second only to Fernandes (81), and he leads the way for assists with nine.

But Ten Hag is confident he has the options to cope.

"Of course, [Eriksen] is disappointed about [the injury], we are disappointed about it," the manager told reporters ahead of Wednesday's EFL Cup semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest.

"It happens in top football, you have to deal with it."

He added: "As you said, something coming out on deadline day is difficult and you can't make policy on such bad injuries, but we have players in the midfield department, good players, we also have players who can fill the gap."

With Donny van de Beek out for the season, Eriksen's injury leaves Ten Hag with senior midfield options of Fred, Casemiro, Fernandes and Scott McTominay, while 17-year-old Kobbie Mainoo has made two appearances in cup competitions and been among the substitutes on a handful of occasions in the Premier League.

Zidane Iqbal, a 19-year-old Iraq international, has also been on the bench often this season, though he is yet to make his debut and had reportedly been lined up for a loan move.

Either way, Ten Hag accepts there will have to be a degree of adaptation regardless of who steps up because they will not have the same attributes as the Denmark star.

"I think you can never fill that because every player has their own characteristics and identity, so another player will always fill it in in a different way," he said.

"So, it doesn't mean that you have to be less successful, but it's quite clear that Christian Eriksen, for our squad, brings top quality and he has some specifics that are hard to replace. For instance, his impact in the final third, [with his] final ball."

Brazil midfielder Fred would appear to be the most likely to benefit from Eriksen's absence.

Although the 29-year-old has made only five Premier League starts this term, in total he has played in 17 top-flight games, with Ten Hag seeming to value his energy and tenacity in the second half when others might be tiring.

There is also the added convenience of him regularly playing alongside Casemiro with the Selecao.

"You mentioned already in your first sentence, he's playing together with Casemiro in the Brazilian squad, I would say that's not the worst squad in the world," Ten Hag said with a grin.

"They have so many choices what they can make but they often prefer to play them together. So, that tells something about the quality Fred has and what he can contribute to the team.

"He has done it several times with his performance for instance against Tottenham, for instance against Manchester City.

"When he's coming on [in the] last game [against Reading], he's scoring a goal straight away. He has a lot of qualities. I think they are a really good combination, Casemiro and Fred."

Christian Eriksen will be out of action for up to three months due to the ankle injury he suffered in Saturday's FA Cup win over Reading, Manchester United have confirmed.

Eriksen was on the receiving end of a heavy tackle from Andy Carroll in the second half, with the Reading forward surprisingly avoiding a yellow card.

Carroll was later sent off for another two forceful challenges.

Eriksen walked away from the incident to play on briefly, but he was soon replaced and later spotted leaving Old Trafford on crutches, with a protective boot supporting his left ankle.

United boss Erik ten Hag offered little insight after the match, but following examinations the club believe it is serious enough to potentially rule him out until May.

A statement read: "Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen is expected to be out of action for an extended period because of an ankle injury sustained in our Emirates FA Cup victory over Reading on Saturday.

"While investigations are continuing, initial assessments indicate that Eriksen is likely to be out until late April or early May."

The absence of Eriksen will be a major blow to United and Ten Hag, as the Danish midfielder has been a key component of the side since his arrival on a free transfer in pre-season.

Bruno Fernandes (2,603) is the only outfield player to spend more minutes on the pitch than Eriksen (2,274) across all competitions for United this season.

It is a similar story in terms of chances created, with Eriksen's 53 bettered by only Fernandes' 81, highlighting the Dane's creative importance, particularly from set-pieces.

Eriksen ranks highest in the squad for assists (nine), however, three more than Fernandes.

If the 31-year-old does not play again until the start of May, he will have missed at least 18 matches in all competitions.

That total will increase if United progress in the FA Cup, Europa League and EFL Cup – they are just 90 minutes away from the final of the latter after winning 3-0 away to Nottingham Forest in last week's semi-final first leg.

The return game at Old Trafford on Wednesday will be the first match Eriksen misses.

The absence of Eriksen further stretches United's midfield options after Donny van de Beek was ruled out for the season at the start of January.

It leaves Fernandes, Fred, Casemiro and Scott McTominay as their only recognised senior midfielders, potentially requiring 17-year-old Kobbie Mainoo – who has made two cup appearances but is yet to make his Premier League bow – to step up unless they delve into the transfer market before the window closes on Tuesday.

Erik ten Hag is waiting for a full diagnosis on Christian Eriksen's ankle injury after the midfielder was pictured leaving Old Trafford on crutches.

The Denmark international was on the receiving end of a strong challenge from Reading striker Andy Carroll during Manchester United's 3-1 FA Cup fourth-round victory.

Carroll avoided punishment from referee Darren England for the tackle, though he was later sent off for two bookable offences.

Eriksen's injury is a cause of concern for United, with crucial Premier League clashes and a Europa League showdown with Barcelona on the horizon, and Ten Hag is waiting for a full assessment on the problem.

"It's always difficult to say so soon after the game finished, but it's an ankle [injury] and we have to see what the diagnosis is," he told a post-match press conference.

"It will be a minimum of 24 hours before we know that, and then I can say more."

Victory for United keeps the club in contention across all competitions this season and the performance of Antony caught the eye, having provided the assist for Casemiro's opener.

Ten Hag had called for more from the pre-season signing following the midweek EFL Cup win against Nottingham Forest and, while he has seen progress, feels there is still more to come.

"I have some experience with him. We have to challenge him and if you challenge him he can adapt, adjust his game, that is what we have to do, definitely," he added.

"He has to be more variable, more dynamic, but also he needs his team-mates and his team-mates around him. But also [needs to know] how to use your team-mates.

"He has to work on that, but he is investing in that at the moment, and you see the progress. But still I think there is a lot of room for improvement."

Manchester United strengthened their grip on a spot in the Premier League's top four as Marcus Rashford continued his fine run in a 3-0 win over Bournemouth.

Having scored the winner from the bench at Wolves on Saturday, Rashford returned to the starting line-up at Old Trafford and capped a dominant United performance with a late tap-in.

United had earlier taken the lead when Casemiro hammered Christian Eriksen's excellent left-wing free-kick home before Luke Shaw doubled their advantage with a neat finish. 

Victory moved Erik ten Hag's side five points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham and level with Newcastle United, who drew against leaders Arsenal.

United took advantage of a set piece to go ahead 23 minutes in – Casemiro volleying Eriksen's delivery into the top-left corner.

Lloyd Kelly's last-ditch tackle denied Rashford while Eriksen saw another free-kick deflect over as Bournemouth avoided further damage before the break.

Bournemouth's luck ran out within four minutes of the restart as Shaw swept home a cut-back from Alejandro Garnacho, who had replaced the injured Donny van de Beek.

Anthony Martial nodded Casemiro's whipped delivery wide at the far post, though David de Gea was called upon to make strong saves to keep out Philip Billing and Jaidon Anthony at the other end.

Garnacho clipped the outside of the post with a fine curling effort but United had their third when Rashford turned Bruno Fernandes' cut-back home following an outstanding pass from Shaw.

Christian Eriksen is sad to see Cristiano Ronaldo leave Manchester United but insists supporters will soon forget what it was like having the forward at the club.

Ronaldo's second spell at Old Trafford came to an end last month when his contract was mutually terminated after criticising the club and manager Erik ten Hag in an interview.

United have not looked back since, having defeated Burnley 2-0 in the last 16 of the EFL Cup and Nottingham Forest 3-0 in the Premier League on their return to action.

While Eriksen is grateful to have played alongside Ronaldo this season, the Denmark international is glad he and his team-mates can now focus solely on football matters.

"First of all we are sad Ronaldo is not part of it. His legacy and his name at any club is special, for me to be fortunate to play with him in my career was very nice," Eriksen said.

"The football goes on. You feel that the next game after, people will forget what it was like before and now our focus is really like he is not here.

"The atmosphere is good. We have a lot of people coming back from the World Cup, the last guys are coming back and everyone is coming together."

Ronaldo, who started just 10 of United's 21 matches prior to his departure, is reportedly close to joining Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr on a huge-money contract.

United are in the market for a replacement in the January window, despite the form of Marcus Rashford, who has scored 10 goals in 21 matches this season.

That is double the number of any other United player, with Anthony Martial next best with five goals, and Eriksen is hopeful the England international can continue his hot streak.

"He played very well [against Forest]. Luckily I haven't been on the pitch where he has played a bad game yet," Eriksen said.

"I let him continue that. He is looking sharp and confident and you can feel that when he is going forward.

"You feel that in the stadium and you feel that with him and it is a nice thing and I hope he keeps it going. You can see that he came back [from the World Cup] pretty confident. 

"I didn't see as much of his [England] games of course. You guys will have seen more, but he came back in good shape and luckily he has taken that into United."

Following Tuesday's comfortable win over Forest, United have now kept four successive clean sheets at Old Trafford in the league for the first time since June 2020.

United are a point off the top four with a game in hand, a far cry from the opening fortnight of the season when losing to Brighton and Hove Albion and then Brentford in humbling fashion.

"We are in a good place," Eriksen added. "The start of the season is very different compared to now. The football is different now to the beginning.

"It was a bit hit-and-miss in some games but I think after that we picked up, we have been building since.

"You feel that in the group, you feel that the system is working which is something you have to believe in and I think we are doing that."

Manchester United's players must prove they deserve silverware as they continue to battle on multiple fronts under Erik ten Hag, according to midfielder Christian Eriksen.

The Red Devils defeated Burnley 2-0 on their return to action on Wednesday to reach the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup, where third-tier Charlton Athletic await.

Ten Hag's side are also still in the Europa League, albeit with Barcelona up next in the knockout round play-offs, while their FA Cup campaign begins against Everton next month.

Having not won a trophy since their Europa League success in the 2016-17 campaign, Eriksen accepts United are not in a position to prioritise certain competitions.

"It's been a few years since winning a trophy the last time," Eriksen, who arrived at United as a free agent in July, told talkSPORT. 

"From where the club were to where we are now, the aim is to focus on every competition and see where we are in the end.

"It hasn't specifically been said that we have to win this or win that – all of the players just want to win as much as possible.

"But to get there we first need to prove that we deserve to be there. It's about every tournament. Like you saw against Burnley, even the [EFL Cup] is important for us."

Eriksen played the full 90 minutes against Burnley and opened the scoring at Old Trafford, before Marcus Rashford doubled United's lead in the second period.

That was United's first match in six weeks due to the World Cup break, which saw an early exit for Eriksen and his below-par Denmark side at Qatar 2022.

Fifth-placed United now face Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Bournemouth in the space of a week as the Premier League resumes, and Eriksen is glad to be back playing.

"I think it's nice to be back," he said. "It was important to get through to the next round in the cup and get the feeling of everyone being back and getting the win."

Christian Eriksen and Marcus Rashford were on target as Manchester United eased into the EFL Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over Burnley on Vincent Kompany's return to Old Trafford.

Manchester City great Kompany enjoyed numerous derby victories over United but his Red Devils reunion as Burnley manager ended in a fourth-round defeat on Wednesday.

Eriksen opened the scoring with a 27th-minute strike before Rashford doubled the advantage in the second half of United's first game since the World Cup.

Championship leaders Burnley impressed in parts but were punished for wasteful finishing as Erik Ten Hag's side booked their place in Thursday's last-eight draw.

Alejandro Garnacho squandered a glorious eighth-minute chance as Bailey Peacock-Farrell raced out to keep out a tame finish after Bruno Fernandes' incisive pass.

Fernandes provided another defence-splitting diagonal ball for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who acrobatically hooked across for Eriksen to tap home a deserved opener.

A curled Manuel Benson strike forced a smart save from Martin Dubravka, who almost turned into his own goal from the resulting corner, before Peacock-Farrell pushed away to deny Antony Martial at the other end.

Scott McTominay whipped a presentable opening over after the interval, but Rashford extended United's lead when his powerful run ended with a drilled finish into the bottom-left corner.

Darko Churlinov wastefully prodded wide on the counter-attack and Ashley Barnes blazed over as a profligate Burnley showing ensured there was no way back for the Clarets.

What does it mean? United back firing after World Cup

United ended the first half of the Premier League season positively to sit three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham, who have played a game more, before the World Cup break.

Ten Hag's side picked up where they left off, albeit they were unconvincing at times in the first half, as United progressed from a sixth straight EFL Cup clash against Burnley.

United had lost three of four home ties in the competition before this victory, though Ten Hag will still demand improvements with tougher tests to follow when the Premier League returns.

Fernandes shines after Ronaldo departure

Questions were often posed as to Fernandes' influence alongside Portugal team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo at United before the latter had his contract terminated in November.

Playmaker Fernandes shone in his first game without Ronaldo as he created a game-leading three chances, including a pinpoint pass for Wan Bissaka's assist in the first half.

Deputy Dubravka unconvincing

David de Gea remains Ten Hag's first-choice goalkeeper and the Spain goalkeeper may have little concern over his position after an unconvincing performance from Dubravka.

The Slovakia international almost punched into his own net before a poor touch nearly gifted Burnley an equaliser and was caught out again in stoppage time, though those errors proved to be irrelevant.

What's next?

United return to Premier League action at home to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, when Burnley host Birmingham City in the Championship.

Denmark were the surprise package at Euro 2020 and by the end of the group stage, were also everyone's second team.

This was partly due to their impressive performances, recovering from losing their first two group matches to thrash both Russia and Wales, before beating the Czech Republic to reach the semi-finals.

Denmark ultimately lost to England in the final four, but there was another reason why non-Danes had developed a soft spot for the team.

The harrowing scenes in their opening defeat to Finland in Copenhagen as medics attempted to revive Christian Eriksen on the pitch after he collapsed left those watching hoping for the best outcome for the player and his team-mates, who created a barrier around him.

Thankfully, not only did Eriksen survive, but he has since returned to the top level of the game, coming off the bench against the Netherlands in March to a standing ovation before finding the back of the net just two minutes later.

The Manchester United midfielder's presence will be symbolic and inspirational in Qatar, but head coach Kasper Hjulmand is under no illusion that his team will need to rely on more than positivity, saying: "I think we're in a good position, but you cannot just go on emotions and play. We will need to have quality on the pitch.

"I think that the football quality is there and we're ready."

Denmark were no one-tournament wonders either, sailing through their World Cup qualifying group, winning their first nine games and keeping clean sheets in their first eight, more than any other team.

One player Tunisia will need to keep an eye on is full-back Joakim Maehle. No player scored more goals for Denmark in qualifying than Maehle (five, level with Andreas Skov Olsen), while no player was directly involved in more goals for the nation during Euro 2020 than the Atalanta man (three, two goals and one assist).

They will have a tough job against Tunisia though, with the Eagles of Carthage experts at keeping games tight and stopping the opposition from playing.

Jalel Kadri was appointed as head coach after their disappointing quarter-final exit to Burkina Faso at the Africa Cup of Nations, and started by beating Mali over two legs to qualify for Qatar 2022 and winning four of their next five games, before a 5-1 friendly humbling at the hands of Brazil in September.

He has set high standards for himself, recently saying: "If we do not reach the knockout phase of the 2022 World Cup, I will leave. I have a contract based on results and being eliminated from the group stage will be a failure for me."

While Tunisia will not be easy to break down, their record at World Cups will need to improve if they are to make any mark on the tournament.

Tunisia have lost 60 per cent of their World Cup games (nine out of 15), the third-highest percentage by a team to have played at least 15 games in the competition, behind only Saudi Arabia (69 per cent - 11 of 16) and Australia (63 per cent - 10 of 16).

Their record against European opposition also leaves a lot to be desired, having played the most games against European opponents at the World Cup of any side without winning (D3 L7). In fact, each of their last four defeats in the competition came against teams from Europe (Spain and Ukraine in 2006, England and Belgium in 2018).

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Denmark – Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg 

The Tottenham man has developed into one of Europe's premier deep-lying midfielders, and will provide the drive in the middle next to Eriksen's more refined skill.

In the Premier League this season, only Manchester City's Rodri has attempted more than his 925 passes, while in Europe's big five leagues, only Pedri (seven), Lionel Messi, Mario Gotze (both six), Joshua Kimmich and Harvey Barnes (both five) have recorded more than Hojbjerg's four secondary assists (the pass before the assist).

Tunisia – Wahbi Khazri

The former Sunderland and Saint-Etienne forward has been the main man for his country on the big stage, and will be needed to show off his talents again in Qatar.

Khazri has been directly involved in each of Tunisia's last four goals at the World Cup (two goals, two assists), and also had three goal involvements at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year (two goals, one assist).

PREDICTION

Possibly due to the form of the Danes and Tunisia's poor record at World Cups, Hjulmand's men will be clear favourites at Education City Stadium.

According to Stats Perform's AI model, Denmark have a 65.0 per cent chance of victory, with Tunisia at just 13.9 per cent to win.

The draw, rated at 21.1 per cent, seems possible given Denmark's lack of a proven goalscorer and their opponents' ability to close games down.

Christian Eriksen's love for football brings joy to Kasper Hjulmand, who believes Denmark must set out to win the World Cup.

Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest during Denmark's first game of Euro 2020 against Finland in Copenhagen last year.

Denmark's players shielded their team-mate from the eyes of the crowd and cameras as Eriksen received emergency medical treatment.

The midfielder made an incredible recovery and six months later returned to action when he signed for Brentford, having been unable to play for Inter after having a cardioverter defibrillator device fitted.

Eriksen was superb for the Bees and earned a move to Manchester United, where he has made a strong start to the season and is back to spearhead Denmark's bid to go deep into the World Cup.

"Before the Euros, before everything happened with Christian I said he was the heart and heartbeat of the team," Hjulmand said in a press conference.

"When he plays he has a fantastic way of taking the rhythm of the game, feeling and controlling the game with his passing, intelligence, his vision and also his work ethic.

"It's great to have Christian back. He's a fantastic player but an even better person and on and off the pitch he gives us so much.

"I remember when he came back in March, in the first minutes he scored against the Netherlands in Amsterdam, and after that we had him back.

"It's just a pleasure to work with Christian, you have to drag him off the pitch every day. He just loves playing. The love for the game is the most important thing for Christian."

Denmark went on to reach the semi-finals of the European Championship without Eriksen, losing to England.

They face Tunisia in their opening match on Tuesday, with France and Australia their other opponents in Group D.

Asked by Stats Perform what targets Denmark had set for the tournament, Hjulmand replied: "I'm not very good at goal-setting like that. Our dream is to win something.

"So when you go into a tournament I think this group of players has the quality to win, and I mean win everything.

"Are we the favourites? No. I think still we have something to improve in our squad, our game, but we can beat everyone on the day.

"We have a very strong self-confidence, a very good group of players working well together and the best way of winning is to dream big and actually say that we go into a tournament to win it and then focus what's right in front of you.

"The first thing is a very difficult game against Tunisia. We will see from there. We have a very good feeling, we are ready to attack."

Christian Eriksen says Denmark captain Simon Kjaer will defy FIFA and wear a OneLove armband at the World Cup regardless of the consequences.

Captains of 10 European sides are expected to wear a distinctive heart-adorned armband in Qatar, promoting diversity and inclusion in a country where same-sex relationships are prohibited.

On Saturday, FIFA announced its own armbands will feature a different social campaign, including 'Save the Planet' and 'Bring the Moves', throughout each round of the tournament in the Middle East.

Eriksen confirmed Denmark will stick with the OneLove initiative as Kasper Hjulmand's side prepare for Tuesday's Group D opener against Tunisia.

"I think we as a country are wearing it, our captain will be wearing the OneLove armband and then what the consequences will be, I don't know but we'll see," said midfielder Eriksen.

"And apart from that, we are here as footballers and we are going to play football. Of course, we want to help what we can, but in the end I'm on this stage because I play football.

"That's really my focus, and it's our focus at this tournament."

Manchester United player Eriksen will appear on FIFA's global stage less than 18 months after suffering a cardiac arrest in Denmark's European Championship clash with Finland.

"I'm just happy to be back. Especially to be at the World Cup. I've been lucky to play in one or two before, but it's special," Eriksen said.

"It's a big tournament, it's very difficult to qualify. We are dreaming of something big, but in the end, we have to get there.

"In football terms, we'll take one game at a time, and we will see where we end up."

Hjulmand's side will aim to escape Group D, which also includes world champions France and Australia, though Eriksen acknowledged it will be a difficult challenge.

"We know it's a tough group. Some teams we played a lot and some teams like Tunisia, we haven't played before," he said.

"It's a World Cup, so it's fun to test ourselves against teams we haven't played before."

Denmark have beaten France twice already this year in the Nations League, and Eriksen said he did not know whether that would influence the upcoming encounter.

"Normally, France in a tournament is a different team compared to the rest of the year," he said. "We know what to do, and we look forward to it."

Cristiano Ronaldo's scathing interview on Manchester United, in which he criticised the club, senior figures and manager Erik ten Hag, remains a significant talking point in the build-up to the World Cup.

Portugal captain Ronaldo said he felt "betrayed" by United, claiming the Red Devils have made "zero progress" since Alex Ferguson departed as manager in 2013, though Eriksen showed little interest in his club-mate's comments.

He said: "No, it hasn't been any distraction for our focus on the World Cup or a personal focus. And no, I haven't spoken to him since at the club."