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Christian Eriksen feels victory over Liverpool on Monday would represent a “stepping stone” for Manchester United following their poor start to the season.
United host Liverpool at Old Trafford seeking their first points of the season after following up a 2-1 home defeat against Brighton and Hove Albion with a 4-0 loss at Brentford.
It is the first time since the inaugural Premier League campaign in 1992-93 that United have started a season with successive losses, placing them bottom of the embryonic table.
Erik ten Hag’s task does not get any easier as United have won just one of their past 12 league meetings with Liverpool and are winless in eight since a 2-1 victory in March 2018.
However, Denmark international Eriksen believes a home clash with United’s fierce rivals can potentially kickstart their campaign.
“If you get a result in a big game, you get the confidence to go on to the next one, and that’s definitely going to help you,” he told United Review.
“First we need to do better than we did in the last home game [against Brighton]. So we need to get the fans going.
“We need to start well, get going into the game and play well in general. The fans expect a good game and so do we. But it’s definitely a good stepping stone to win the derbies.”
Liverpool are themselves seeking a first league victory of the campaign following surprise draws with Fulham and Crystal Palace in their opening two games.
Monday’s match will therefore mark the first time both of these sides have been winless heading into this fixture in Premier League history.
That will make for a feisty encounter at Old Trafford, where Eriksen is relishing his first taste of this famous clash.
“I think you feel the vibe going up to the game,” he said. “You build up to it. You get a feeling of ‘Monday will be Liverpool – how are we going to play against them?’
“Then you build up slowly, to really be on a good note and be in a good place mentally to play the game.
“Of course, you don’t know what’s going to come to you from the fans, before the game or in the game.
“But when you’re locked into the game, you don’t really recognise the feeling around you. You’re just really locked in and focused on the game.”
