CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN INSISTS HE NEVER CONSIDERED LEAVING MAN UNITED AFTER REAL BETIS DEADLINE DAY LOAN DEAL FELL THROUGH - AS MIDFIELDER REFLECTS ON 'CONFIDENCE BOOST' OF SCORING TWO GOALS AGAINST BARNSLEY

  • The Dane made his return to the starting line-up in 3-0 win at Southampton 
  • Eriksen added he will 'see what happens' after contract ends next summer
  • SOCCER A-Z: Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube. New episodes every Wednesday 

Christian Eriksen says he never considered leaving Manchester United this summer after helping Erik ten Hag's side overcome a faltering start to the new season.

The Denmark international had a bit-part role last term as he only made 14 starts, and United turned down an offer from Real Betis to take him on loan on transfer deadline day.

But Eriksen returned to the starting line-up in Saturday's win at Southampton as United recovered from back-to-back defeats to Liverpool and Brighton, and then scored twice in the 7-0 mauling of Barnsley in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.

The 32-year-old former Tottenham player insists he is settled at United and would only have left if the club had wanted him to go.

'I feel very good being at United,' said Eriksen. 'If they told me to leave I would leave, but I didn't hear that. 

'I'm also a guy who likes being in a place where my family is settled and at the same time being in a place where I can benefit and play, that's always going to be my aim.

'It's difficult to ask the manager in the off-season how many minutes I'm going to get in a season. If he starts promising minutes to players we're going to have a long season. 

'There was no speaking in that sense, just head down, work hard and focus on each game.

'There's one year left so my focus is going to be on this year, going full out and see what happens afterwards.'

Eriksen hasn't scored a brace of goals for his club since an FA Cup tie in March 2018 between Spurs and Swansea. Having assisted on Marcus Rashford's second goal against Barnsley, he converted two late chances set up by Bruno Fernandes.

United have now scored 10 goals in two games and conceded none with Eriksen back in the team.

'I only scored two and assisted one so I'll claim three (of them),' he added. 'I try to help the team and score the goals. 

'I've had my shots before which didn't go in, thankfully this time they went in and it was a good confidence boost.

'Like the game we had at the weekend, at the start we were a bit struggling but after that we picked up and we found good positions and created a lot of chances and we were clinical.

'I hope we will take it with us. It's only two games and two wins, but it's our aim now to keep this consistency. 

'It's not about scoring goals a game (although) that would be nice, it's just winning the games and getting a good feeling going into each game.'

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2024-09-18T11:23:15Z dg43tfdfdgfd