Manchester United welcome their second relegation-threatened team to Old Trafford today, after their 4-2 victory against Sheffield United on Wednesday evening.
Burnley, led by Vincent Kompany, will be seeking to upset Erik ten Hag’s club, who still have a very genuine chance of remaining in the league after a recent upturn in form.
Nonetheless, the Red Devils are expected to repeat their dominating performance against the Blades, minus the goals allowed.
To accomplish this, an identical squad must be fielded, with one player replacing Christian Eriksen, who underperformed over the week.
Why Eriksen should drop out of the side
Eriksen’s participation in recent months has been modest, with his first start since January coming on Wednesday.
Although his performance was not awful, it was that of a player who had played very few minutes, earning him a 5/10 rating from Manchester Evening News writer Samuel Luckhurst.
The Dane looked technically as comfortable as ever, but he lacked true passion both on and off the ball, completing just one critical pass out of 56 attempts.
Eriksen also provided practically little defensive value, winning just one of three duels, making one tackle, and getting dribbled past once.
The 32-year-old was removed just after the hour mark, and his substitute for the evening should return to the squad this afternoon.
Why McTominay must be unleashed against Burnley
Scott McTominay is the epitome of a Marmite player; you either love him or hate him, but there’s no disputing that he’s stepped up when it counts this season.
The Scottish midfielder has only started 15 Premier League games this season, despite making 28 appearances, but his impact on the team has been enormous, particularly from the bench.
The 27-year-old has been dealing with injuries in recent weeks, including one sustained in the 4-3 loss to Chelsea, which is why he did not start against the Blades last time out.
McTominay, on the other hand, has the precise profile required to beat a side like Burnley, and he might be critical to the Red Devils’ three-point victory tonight.
| McTominay vs Eriksen 23/24 PL Stats | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stats | McTominay | Eriksen |
| Goals | 7 | 1 |
| Shots (per game) | 1.3 | 0.6 |
| Touches (per game) | 30.1 | 44.8 |
| Passes completed (per game) | 16.1 | 31.4 |
| Tackles (per game) | 1.6 | 0.9 |
| Dribbled past (per game) | 0.4 | 1.2 |
| Duels won (per game) | 3.5 | 1.2 |
| Via Sofascore | ||
As seen by his average Premier League statistics this season compared to Eriksen’s, he has a very different profile than the number 14.
The number 39 is significantly less likely to have an effect on the game in terms of creativity or control, but his ability to affect the game in the last third may be crucial this weekend.
McTominay, according to United icon Rio Ferdinand, is a player who “loves a goal,” and his record speaks for itself, with seven league goals, tied for third most in the club.
McTominay has honed his ability to make late runs into the box and be in the right spot at the right time, and his mobility might prove the difference against a low block like Burnley.
Unlike every other United player, with the exception of Harry Maguire, McTominay has a significant aerial threat, making the hosts far more threatening from set pieces and crosses, which will be especially important given that the bulk of space will likely be in wide areas.
Furthermore, the United academy graduate offers greater defensive assistance than Eriksen, making Ten Hag’s team more defensively safe and ready for counterattacks.
Overall, although McTominay is far from an irreplaceable member of the squad, he is ideal for a game like today’s, and so he must start.
Read Also: Romano confirmed, £120,000 a Week Man United ace will not stay at the club after this season