Marcel Sabitzer was the signing Erik ten Hag needed when disaster struck for Manchester United. However, coming up 10 weeks from his whirlwind Old Trafford arrival, the Austria midfielder has not actually yet been utilised for his main purpose. United now have a final chance to do so and his longer-term future will, as such, be shaped over the forthcoming days.
Rewind to late January and – with an unprecedented quadruple in sight – Reading striker Andy Carroll almost single-handedly dented their aspirations. Casemiro escaped one reckless challenge from the former Liverpool man, but Christian Eriksen was not quite so lucky. United progressed from that FA Cup showdown, but did so far from unscathed. It forced United to jot down their mid-season shopping list at lightning speed as they, somehow, convinced Sabitzer to complete his loan move in double-quick time.
It was a mightily impressive response from Ten Hag and key figures behind the scenes and the rationale was quite simple; to pair Sabitzer with Casemiro and ensure that United were not derailed by Eriksen’s injury with Scott McTominay and Donny van de Beek also missing at that particular juncture.
However, while their revamped blueprint has not been followed – owing to more mitigating circumstances – Ten Hag can finally offer a massive hint as to his future plans in the market. But where will Sabitzer fit in amid an ongoing search for a dynamic new midfielder?
Somehow, with Eriksen’s absence spanning 17 matches in all competitions, Sabitzer has not started alongside Casemiro and they have only totted-up 90 minutes together on-field across two-and-a-half months. Now that means, through no fault of his own, the jury remains out when it comes to his chances of a permanent switch, even though Ten Hag knows full well what he brings to the table.
“He has a great attitude, he’s the right age, I’m sure this opportunity will motivate him and he will perform for us,” said Ten Hag after completing an 11th-hour deal.
When called upon, Sabitzer has performed with quality as expected. However, with Casemiro missing for so many games due to two separate suspensions, the Austrian has often had to hold the fort rather than him having the shackles released to showcase his best attributes moving in the other direction.
A minor tweak between the Newcastle and Brentford games finally allowed him to do that, though, and the impact Sabitzer made was telling with the match-winning assist for Marcus Rashford capping off a promising display. Now comes the biggest challenge – and opportunity – he has had in a red shirt.
Despite confirming his welcome return, you would expect Ten Hag to be careful when dipping Eriksen back into action against Everton on Saturday afternoon, while the follow-up match against Sevilla will see United return to full strength in the engine room; one lengthy absentee in Van de Beek aside.
Ten Hag will be pondering whether to reunite Casemiro and Eriksen at the first chance he gets, but Sabitzer too has forced himself into the reckoning for such an important game. However, that also comes with risk as Casemiro and Sabitzer are pretty much strangers on-field.
It would be a huge feather in his cap to get the nod in the first leg against Sevilla with McTominay, Fred and Eriksen all available. But that scenario is far from unthinkable, either, and could be indicative of what Ten Hag wants to press forward with when the market reopens this summer.