To say there was an element of surprise when Ralf Rangnick included Juan Mata in his starting line-up for Manchester United's 3-0 win over Brentford at Old Trafford back in May is something of an understatement.
The Spaniard had not started a Premier League match for more than 300 days and had been restricted to just under an hour's worth of league football during the 2021/22 campaign. But considering United entered the clash with Brentford on a run of three games without a win, Rangnick had to do something to lift some of the negativity.
The German's decision to include Mata in the starting line-up was something of a masterstroke; the Spaniard was excellent and brought some much-needed smiles to the faces of those watching in the stands, even if United's season had long since fizzled out. The former fans' favourite, deployed in the No.10 position, brought creativity and cohesion to the party, producing an excellent display that scooped him no shortage of plaudits.
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It was the perfect way for Mata to bring the curtain down on his Old Trafford career and it automatically raised questions about why his qualities had not been utilised more often over the last three years. He was United's architect-in-chief against Thomas Franks' side, creating numerous chances for the forwards.
Reviewing his performance, former United interim boss Rangnick said: "Yes, maybe it was the first game he played from the beginning, [but it] also had to do with the opposition in this position and in the last couple of weeks he was one of the players who showed in training how professional he is and how much he loves the game. He had moments when he played like a magician."
While Mata's performance showed United what they had missed out on by so often overlooking him throughout the season, it also highlighted how quiet Bruno Fernandes had been for much of the campaign. Although the Portuguese international ended the season with ten goals and 13 assists to his name, he was nowhere close to matching the levels he had reached in the one-and-a-half seasons prior.
At the time of Mata's inclusion against Brentford, Fernandes was on a run of eight Premier League matches without a goal or assist. It was an indefensible record for a player of his talent.
Mata's shock start against the Bees meant Fernandes was ushered out to the left of the advanced midfield-three, with the former taking the No.10 berth. Although he scored that Bank Holiday Monday evening, Fernandes went missing for much of the game, being outclassed by Mata, who, based on his performance that night, should have been given the nod by Rangnick sooner.
Therefore, the prospect of United adding Christian Eriksen to their ranks could be just what United are in need of, in the sense that he will be a direct replacement for the recently-departed Mata to challenge Fernandes. The Manchester Evening News understands that Eriksen has verbally agreed to join United on a three-year deal, meaning he could soon become one of their first signings of the Erik ten Hag era.
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On the face of it, you would expect Eriksen, who turned down the offer of a new contract at Brentford, whom he joined on a short-term deal back in January, to directly compete with Fernandes for the attacking-midfield berth. However, Fernandes, you would expect, will continue as Ten Hag's first-choice option for a catalogue of reasons, least of all of his price tag and capabilities when he is at the very peak of his powers.
But Eriksen, just over a year after seeing his life flash in front of him at the European Championship, will have ambitions of forcing his way into Ten Hag's plans by being a regular starter. Although many United supporters may take the viewpoint that the jump from Brentford to United is a big ask, it is crucial to remember that the 30-year-old was a key figure at Tottenham for several years, proving himself as one of the Premier League's most consistent performers.
He scored 69 goals and grabbed 90 assists in 305 appearances for Spurs, highlighting that he knows the Premier League like the back of his hand. That undisputed quality and experience will mean that Fernandes cannot afford to let his standards drop. Eriksen, should he be considered a back-up option, is an outstanding option to have in reserve and he will push Fernandes every step of the way to challenge him for a regular starting berth.
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