Erik ten Hag offers hint at Man United's Kobbie Mainoo replacement vs Brentford

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has hinted that he could recall Casemiro to play alongside Christian Eriksen in midfield for the visit of Brentford this afternoon.

The Reds are likely to be without the services of Kobbie Mainoo this weekend after he suffered a muscular issue in the clashes with Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa. The injury to his hamstring flared up during the heavy loss to Spurs at Old Trafford and led to Mainoo sitting out the draw in Porto.

He returned for the goalless clash with Villa the following Sunday and lasted 85 minutes before being substituted. Having been called up to Lee Carsley's England squad, Mainoo had to withdraw to tend to the injury and it is now expected he will be out for as many as seven matches while he recovers.

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With Mainoo missing, United will need to find an alternative to partner Eriksen in midfield. The Dane has managed to earn his place back in the squad and in an interview with MUTV, Ten Hag hailed the form of the midfielder while also hinting at who could partner him this weekend.

"I think, first of all, it is himself [that is helping Eriksen's form to improve]," the United boss explained. "That is an example that sometimes you are out of the team but you find yourself back.

"You show resilience and you show belief and he waited for his chance and then he took it. At this moment, he formed a good combo with Kobbie but we know from the past that he is also a very good combo with Casemiro so there are more good combinations that we can line up in the midfield.

"But of course I am very happy with his [Eriksen's] performance and I hope he