Manchester United promote Christian Eriksen to starting XI after Marcel Sabitzer injury

Manchester United have promoted Christian Eriksen to the team to face Nottingham Forest after Marcel Sabitzer pulled up with an injury in the warm-up.

Sabitzer disappeared down the tunnel just under 20 minutes before kick-off at the City Ground, leaving in conversation with a member of United's medical staff.

The message was passed on to the pitch and Mitchell van der Gaag instructed Eriksen and Fred, who were both named on the bench, to go through a more vigorous warm-up in anticipation of a promotion to the starting XI.

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Eriksen was then spoken to by Darren Fletcher as the rest of the squad left the pitch and informed he would be starting in place of Sabitzer. Goalkeeper Nathan Bishop has been added to the list of substitutes.

The Austrian had started five successive matches for United and scored twice against Sevilla in midweek, playing in a more advanced role with Bruno Fernandes operating deeper.

Eriksen has come off the bench twice since returning from an ankle injury sustained in the FA Cup win against Reading in January, but this will be his first start since then.

United are already stretched and Sabitzer's absence follows Tyrell Malacia dropping out of the squad with a sore knee. Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez and Marcus Rashford are also on the injury list.

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