Erik ten Hag explains team news vs Tottenham as Casemiro and Martinez return

Erik ten Hag has received a major injury boost this afternoon as long-term injury absentees Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez have been declared fit and are in the squad to face Tottenham Hotspur this evening.

Casemiro and Martinez were lynchpins in Ten Hag’s maiden campaign at Old Trafford and although they don’t start tonight, their returns are huge boosts going into the final stretch of the season after the winter break.

Kobbie Mainoo keeps his place in midfield after a number of impressive performances and at the back, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire continue to be sidelined.

Speaking before the game, Ten Hag has touched on some of the thinking behind his decisions as he gears up for another Premier League outing.

“When you have quality players back, that is good for the team and good for the quality of the team. At the end of the day, the quality of the players make a difference,” The Dutchman said about the return of Casemiro and Martinez, as per the official Manchester United website.

“He (Eriksen) can give the pass, he is a smart player,” he added. “He can make the difference, he scans for those passes and he can give them. He has that ability that not many players have.”

United are in desperate need of three points as they continue to play catch-up with the Champions League hopefuls this season.

Three points against Ange Postecoglou’s men could jumpstart United’s season as Ten Hag awaits the return of more first-team regulars, including summer signing Mason Mount.

For the visitors, new signing Timo Werner starts from the off but there is no place for new centre-back Radu Dragusin, who joined the club from Genoa.