Rasmus Hojlund has expressed his desire for fellow Dane Christian Eriksen to receive more playing time, following Eriksen’s admission of discontent over his limited participation in games for Manchester United.
Eriksen has been in the starting lineup for only nine of the 28 Premier League matches this season and has openly expressed his dissatisfaction with his role in Erik ten Hag’s team.
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Last season, the 32-year-old was a pivotal figure in Ten Hag’s lineup, contributing to 44 matches across all tournaments. However, his current level of involvement seems to be diminishing.
Hojlund was pleased to witness Eriksen’s entry as a substitute in the recent FA Cup quarter-final win against Liverpool and is optimistic that Eriksen will play more frequently after the international break.
‘I myself have sat on the bench for Copenhagen, so I know what that means,’ Hojlund, who joined Eriksen at Old Trafford last summer, told TV2.
‘But he holds his head high and he is a class player. There is absolutely no doubt about that.
‘There is no concern at all from me about it. Of course, you want to play football. And I’m sure he does too. [But] he trains well and is still very positive and very helpful, so it’s not a big deal. He is a real professional.
‘It was good he got some minutes against Liverpool. I think he did really well when he came on.
‘He is a good player, so you would like to see him on the field, but we have many good players. So it must be the coach’s decision whether he plays or not.’
Expressing his dissatisfaction over his reduced role at United, Eriksen told Tipsbladet: ‘I have previously stated that I am not satisfied with not playing, but it’s not something that keeps me up at night.
‘The team is performing, and you must respect the role you have alongside [the rest of the team].
‘For my part, it has been about working hard and focusing on being fresh for every game, and I am. It is easier now to accept my role than it would have been before.
‘I have had a conversation with Erik about being unhappy with the situation and wanting to play as much as possible.
‘But I am available and need to be available for the team, which I am and always will be.’
Asked about his discussions with Erik ten Hag, Eriksen added: ‘He said it was the team he had chosen, and Kobbie [Mainoo] is doing well, and the rest of the midfield is also performing well.
‘So there is competition for places, which is expected when playing for a top club. There is great competition within the team.’
