Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag explains Bruno Fernandes role change

Erik ten Hag says he relocated Bruno Fernandes to a deeper role to offset the absences of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen.

Eriksen was sidelined for 10 weeks with an ankle injury while Casemiro served the final match of his four-game domestic ban in United's 2-0 triumph over Everton on Saturday.

Fernandes moved to central midfield alongside Casemiro when he was sent off against Southampton last month but he occupied his usual No.10 role in the FA Cup quarter-final win against Fulham and the Premier League loss at Newcastle.

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Ten Hag has started midfielders Marcel Sabitzer and Scott McTominay in all four fixtures Casemiro has been unavailable for but swapped Sabitzer with Fernandes in the midweek victory against Brentford and they remained in the same positions for the dominant defeat of Everton.

Fernandes was named man of the match against Sean Dyche's side and the United talisman has only missed one league game all season, which was through suspension.

"When you miss players you have to find solutions as a manager, as a coaching staff," Ten Hag explained. "So then you are looking. In the moment Casemiro and Eriksen were available there was no need to bring them down.

"But when you miss them you have to find a solution to bring the game from the back to get the build up, to progress the ball to attack.

"We found the idea to bring Bruno down deeper and he's doing brilliant, I think he's playing really good games."

Eriksen made his comeback as a second half substitute against Everton and could reunite with Casemiro in midfield against Sevilla in the Europa League quarter-final first leg at Old Trafford on Thursday.

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