Erik Ten Hag confident Manchester United will cope with injured Christian Eriksen

The 30-year-old has slotted into life at Old Trafford seamlessly since joining as a free agent in the summer, making 31 appearances in all competitions.

Eriksen has played a vital role as United fight on four fronts but will now have to watch from the sidelines after suffering an ankle injury in Saturday’s 3-1 FA Cup win against Reading.

The club said he will be out for an “extended period” following the challenge by Andy Carroll, who was later sent off, and that “initial assessments indicate that Eriksen is likely to be out until late April or early May.”

Speaking shortly after United confirmed the severity of the injury, Ten Hag said: “Of course he’s disappointed about it, we are disappointed about it.

“But it happens in top football. We sooner it (didn’t) happen but it did and you have to deal with it.”

United have already lost Donny van de Beek for the remainder of the campaign and the severity of Eriksen’s injury has led onlookers to wonder whether they could act on deadline day.

“As you said, on deadline day it’s difficult,” Ten Hag said.

“You can’t make policy on such bad injuries, but we have players in the midfield department and good players. We have players who can fill that gap.”

Put to Ten Hag that United did not appear to have anyone that can come in and do what Eriksen has brought to the side, he said: “But I think you can never fill that because every player has his own characteristics, identity.

“Another player will always fill it in a different way but that doesn’t mean you have to be less successful.

“It’s quite clear that Christian Eriksen brings top quality to our squad and especially he has some specifics that are hard to replace.

“For instance, his impact in the final third with the final ball.”

Scott McTominay was absent for the match against Reading and injured Eriksen was replaced by substitute Fred, who produced a solid display and scored with an audacious flick.

“He’s playing together with Casemiro in the Brazilian squad,” Ten Hag said of the latter. “I would say that’s not the worst squad in the world.

“They have so many choices that they can make but they often prefer to play them together so that tells something about the quality Fred has and what he can contribute to the team.

“He did it several times. When I see his performance, for instance, against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, when he’s coming on last game he scores a goal.

“He has a lot of qualities. I think they are a really good combination, Casemiro and Fred.”

The injury to Eriksen has rocked United as they head into a season-defining month that kicks off with the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final and should end with a trip to Wembley.

Ten Hag’s side head into Wednesday’s meeting with Nottingham Forest leading 3-0 from the first leg.