Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Christian Eriksen: Australia could use this tactic against Denmark superstar - Kewell
CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN is the man to stop for Australia against Denmark today and the Socceroos may try and mark him out of the game, reckons Harry Kewell.
Australia take on Denmark in a crunch Group C game in Samara today (1pm).
The Aussies are looking to hit back from a 2-1 defeat to France in their first World Cup game, while Denmark clinched a 1-0 win over Peru last week.
Tottenham star Eriksen was integral to Denmark qualifying for the World Cup in Russia this summer.
And ex-Australia winger Kewell has warned his compatriots to stick with the Spurs wizard.
“You’ve always got to keep an eye on him because he’s dangerous,” Kewell told Express Sport.
“He picks up wonderful positions and he’s one of these players who sees everything.
The manager might go for a player to sit on him, especially when the Danes have the ball
“He drifts into areas where you think you’re marking him, but you’re not.
“The manager might go for a player to sit on him, especially when the Danes have the ball, to try and take him out the game. But smart players will double up somewhere else and crate peace for others to come into.”
Eriksen, 26, headed into the World Cup on the back of an impressive season for Spurs where he scored 15 goals for the Premier League club.
He played the full 90 minutes in the win over Peru in Saransk.
Andrea Pirlo picks his dream World Cup team
Australia were guilty of some nervy defending in their opening game to France.
But Kewell is hopeful the Socceroos can shut down the Danish attack today.
“When you get great players, they know how to manoeuvre when people mark them,” he added.
“They can always find the ball and get it on the ground, where they’re dangerous.
“So yes, we’ve got to be cautious about him but let’s worry about our own game and concentrate what we’re good at.
“If we can give the ball to the players who hurt them, that’s far more important than us worrying about Eriksen.”
Can Christian Eriksen be stopped?
Kewell identified Eriksen as the key man and he was right. And if Australia had a plan to keep the Dane quiet, it didn't work.
The Tottenham star took just seven minutes to open the scoring against Australia with a crisp half-volley.
Uber Eats is helping Andrea Pirlo find a team to support this summer, join in with #TeamForPirlo