Medical expert issues ‘massive’ Christian Eriksen verdict after Brentford development
Christian Eriksen took a “massive step forward” with his return to non-competitive action with Brentford last night (14 February).
That is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
Eriksen played 60 minutes and provided an assist in the 3-2 win over a Southend United XI in a behind-closed-doors fixture.
It was the 30-year-old playmaker’s first outing since he suffered a cardiac arrest playing for Denmark at the European Championship last June.
He told Sky Sports last Sunday (13 February) that his full Bees debut “won’t be far off”.
But Dinnery warned supporters not to overreact if the Dane picks up an injury while he continues his path towards full fitness.
“Football is a contact sport and injuries are part and parcel of that,” he told Football Insider‘s Adam Williams.
“But these behind-closed-doors games are used to transition from the non-competitive environment to regular football.
“You want to get him in a position where he can return with the Brentford first team but you can replicate the intensity of a game environment.
“This will be a massive step forwards for Eriksen. All you can do is keep your fingers crossed and do everything to mitigate any risk.
“In terms of baseline fitness, they will want to ensure he ticks every box and comes through the game successfully.
“If there is a minor setback, let’s not lose sight of context. A lot of players who are coming back from long-term absences pick up knocks.”
Eriksen was introduced to fans at the Brentford Community Stadium ahead of the clash against Crystal Palace last Saturday (12 February).
The Bees drew the match 0-0 and are 14th in the league table.
In other news, ex-Fifa official claims Crystal Palace robbed as “surprising” Brentford footage analysed.