Erik ten Hag wants greater protection for players after Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen was injured by an Andy Carroll tackle during their FA Cup fourth round victory on Saturday.

The Denmark international is set to miss the majority of the rest of the season after he was caught by the Reading forward during the Red Devils' 3-1 win at Old Trafford.

Eriksen's lay-off is a major blow for the resurgent United, with the former Tottenham and Inter playmaker a central figure in their revival under Ten Hag.

Speaking ahead of his side's EFL Cup semi-final second leg with Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, the Dutchman was critical of Carroll, but also stressed the need to police such challenges more stringently.

"I'm disappointed about that," he said. "I think football has to set limits [and] restrictions to protect the players, What football wants is the best players being available on the pitch.

"This is a tackle, and the two tackles after, that doesn't belong on the football pitch, because it's a high risk [it will] injure your colleague."

Carroll was dismissed during the Royals' defeat after consecutive yellow cards during the latter stages of the game, with Eriksen subsequently departing Old Trafford on crutches.

Asked if he felt the Reading man was trying to deliberately injure his players, Ten Hag added: "I think I made my view about it. I think it was quite clear what I think, what my thoughts were."

While several of United's Premier League rivals bolstered their January transfer window with high-profile deals, the club took a more low-key approach owing to financial frameworks, though were attempting to add Bayern Munich midfielder Marcel Sabitzer on loan on transfer deadline day.

Ten Hag previously acknowledged he had hoped for greater recruitment, but stressed he understands why United have operated the way they have in the market.

"I think as a manager, you're always trying to find a way to make your team better," he added. "I wouldn't be a good manager, if I didn't make the request.

"If there are opportunities, it is my job in the club to tell the club that there are opportunities to strengthen our squad and our time

"But it's about financial frameworks, [with] what is acceptable, what is reasonable and what we need to fulfil our ambitions. We have to follow it though."

Erik ten Hag wants greater protection for players after Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen was injured by an Andy Carroll tackle during their FA Cup fourth round victory on Saturday.

The Denmark international is set to miss the majority of the rest of the season after he was caught by the Reading forward during the Red Devils' 3-1 win at Old Trafford.

Eriksen's layoff is a major blow for the resurgent United, with the former Tottenham and Inter playmaker a central figure in their revival under Ten Hag.

Speaking ahead of his side's EFL Cup semi-final second leg with Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, the Dutchman was critical of Carroll, but also stressed the need to police such challenges more stringently.

"I'm disappointed about that," he said. "I think football has to set limits [and] restrictions to protect the players, What football wants is the best players being available on the pitch.

"This is a tackle, and the two tackles after, that doesn't belong on the football pitch, because it's a high risk [it will] injure your colleague."

Carroll was dismissed during the Royals' defeat after consecutive yellow cards during the latter stages of the game, with Eriksen subsequently departing Old Trafford on crutches.

Asked if he felt the Reading man was trying to deliberately injure his players, Ten Hag added: "I think I made my view about it. I think it was quite clear what I think, what my thoughts were."

While several of United's Premier League rivals bolstered their January transfer window with high-profile deals, the club took a more low-key approach owing to financial frameworks, though were attempting to add Bayern Munich midfielder Marcel Sabitzer on loan on transfer deadline day.

Ten Hag previously acknowledged he had hoped for greater recruitment, but stressed he understands why United have operated the way they have in the market.

"I think as a manager, you're always trying to find a way to make your team better," he added. "I wouldn't be a good manager, if I didn't make the request.

"If there are opportunities, it is my job in the club to tell the club that there are opportunities to strengthen our squad and our time

"But it's about financial frameworks, [with] what is acceptable, what is reasonable and what we need to fulfil our ambitions. We have to follow it though."

Premier League champions Manchester City may be willing to do more business in January.

Pep Guardiola's side added Erling Haaland, Kalvin Phillips, Sergio Gomez and Manuel Akanji in the last transfer window.

But City may be looking to further strengthen their squad amid a chaotic schedule in 2022-23.

TOP STORY – CITY CONSIDERING KROOS MOVE IN JANUARY

Manchester City are plotting a January move for Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos, according to El Nacional.

The 32-year-old is out of contract at the end of this season and he has rejected Madrid's offer of an extension.

As a result, Los Blancos may consider selling Kroos in January and Pep Guardiola is a long-time admirer.

ROUND-UP

Galatasaray are set to clinch a loan deal to sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Mauro Icardi, reports Fabrizio Romano. The final details of the move are being discussed, with Icardi set to undergo a medical in Turkey soon. The Turkish transfer window closes on Thursday.

– After being heavily pursued prior to the transfer window closing, Aston Villa's Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz is planning to leave the club when his contract expires at the end of this season, according to UOL.

– The Telegraph reports that Wolves will consider signing ex-Newcastle United forward Andy Carroll should their move for Diego Costa collapse. Carroll is a free agent after leaving West Bromwich Albion.

– Southampton's Nathan Redmond will fly to Turkey to complete a move to Besiktas on a one-year deal, claims Fabrizio Romano.

Reading have signed former England striker Andy Carroll on a short-term deal.

The 32-year-old had been a free agent since being released by his boyhood club Newcastle United at the end of last season, but joined the Championship side on a contract until mid-January on Monday.

Carroll joins a Royals side that sit 16th in the second tier, but only four points adrift of sixth-placed Queens Park Rangers.

Capped nine times by his country, the former Liverpool frontman career has been blighted by injuries.

Reading boss Veljko Paunovic hopes Carroll, who has scored 80 goals in his career and made over 250 Premier League appearances, can hit the ground running.

Paunovic said: "This is a deal that we have been working on for some time and are confident it is the right move for both player and club.

"Andy is looking for a new challenge in his career and we need a player with his quality and vast experience. So this is a great match and I'm really looking forward to working with Andy over the next couple of months."

A familiar pairing helped Tottenham return to winning ways in the Premier League this weekend. 

Harry Kane and Son Heung-min were both on target as Jose Mourinho's side ended a four-match winless streak in the competition with a comfortable 3-0 triumph over Leeds United. 

Their rapport has been one of the defining stories of the season but, away from north London, several other games produced some interesting statistics.

With the help of Opta data, we take a look at some of the quirkiest stats from the weekend's action, with Leicester City's win at Newcastle United a source of a couple of fascinating facts.

 

Kane and Son combine again

Harry Kane and Son Heung-min's almost telepathic understanding was on show again in Tottenham's defeat of Leeds.

The South Korea international swept in Kane's pass to become the 18th Spurs player to score 100 goals for the club in all competitions on what was his 253rd appearance.

Kane has now assisted nine goals for Son in the Premier League, while the South Korean has laid on four for the England captain in the 2020-21 season – no two players have linked up more in a single season in the competition.

They have plenty of time left to leapfrog Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton, who combined 13 times during Blackburn Rovers' 1994-95 title-winning season. 

Evergreen Vardy keeps on going

Jamie Vardy might be 33 but the Leicester striker is showing no signs of slowing down. 

His assist for James Maddison's opener in the 2-1 win over Newcastle at the weekend means he has been directly involved in 98 Premier League goals since turning 30 (80 goals and 18 assists). 

He leapfrogged Paolo Di Canio to move joint-sixth with Manchester United icon Ryan Giggs in the all-time list for most Premier League goal involvements aged 30-plus. 

He is now within touching distance of Gianfranco Zola (101) and Shearer (102), with Ian Wright in third with 110 involvements. 

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is second with 118, while Teddy Sheringham leads the way with 127 (77 goals and 50 assists).

Tierney waves tartan flag for Gunners

Arsenal do not have a rich lineage of Scottish players during the Premier League era, but left-back Kieran Tierney is doing his best to change that.

The former Celtic man became the first Scottish player to score an away Premier League goal for the Gunners in their thumping of West Brom and the first to do so in the top flight since Charlie Nicholas in March 1986. 

The 23-year-old cut inside from the left flank and curled a brilliant finish beyond Sam Johnstone to open the scoring, before then going on to tee up Alexandre Lacazette's second goal in the rout of Sam Allardyce's woeful Baggies.

Tierney – who has been tipped as a future Arsenal captain by boss Mikel Arteta – only needs one more goal to join Paul Dickov (three) as the Gunners' top-scoring Scottish player in the Premier League.

Carroll ends lengthy wait for Magpies goal

Newcastle tasted defeat against the Foxes but they could at least toast a return to the scoresheet after an almighty break for Andy Carroll. 

Only Wayne Rooney has had a longer gap between Premier League goals for the same club than Carroll, who netted for the first time of his second Magpies spell.

Carroll's goal was his first for Newcastle since he re-joined the club in 2019-20. The former Liverpool and West Ham forward had last netted for the Magpies on Boxing Day 2010, in a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City.

With a gap of 10 years and eight days between his strikes for Newcastle, Carroll is behind only Rooney for the largest stretch of time between two goals for the same club in the Premier League.

Rooney scored on the opening day of the 2017-18 season for Everton, 13 years and 121 days after his last goal for the Toffees in the 2003-04 season.

Only Wayne Rooney has had a longer gap between Premier League goals for the same club than Andy Carroll, who netted for the first time of his second Newcastle United spell in a 2-1 loss to Leicester City.

Carroll, who turns 32 on Wednesday, made his ninth top-flight appearance of the season on Sunday, coming on as a 79th-minute substitute with Steve Bruce's side 2-0 down to goals from James Maddison and Youri Tielemans.

He scored within three minutes, thumping in a well-timed volley to haul Newcastle back into the contest, though the Foxes ultimately held firm to secure their seventh away win of the season.

Leicester are the 19th different top-flight side to win at least seven of their first nine away games of a season – none of the previous 18 have finished outside of the top four.

Carroll's goal was his first for Newcastle since he re-joined the club in 2019-20.

The former Liverpool and West Ham forward had last netted for the Magpies on Boxing Day 2010, in a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City.

Coincidentally, his only two league goals for Liverpool in 2010-11 – following a reported £35million move – also came against City.

With a gap of 10 years and eight days between his strikes for Newcastle, Carroll is behind only Rooney for the longest length of time between two goals for the same club in the Premier League.

Rooney scored on the opening day of the 2017-18 season for Everton, 13 years and 121 days after his last goal for the Toffees in the 2003-04 season.

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