Christian Eriksen was warming up during the interval, pinging passes with Anthony Elanga, and the second-half was barely 10 minutes old when Erik ten Hag concisely collared him as he began his warm-up.
That signalled Eriksen's entrance was inevitable sooner or later and it came in the 61st minute with United 2-1 down. They won 4-2 and it is not a coincidence their performance ameliorated with the Dane on the pitch.
United's attack was unbalanced with two left wingers and two No.10s, a quartet underpinned by the limited axis of Scott McTominay and Fred. The latter made way for Eriksen.
