Roland Cutinho
Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand has provided a fitness update on Manchester United star Rasmus Hojlund
Denmark’s head coach, Kasper Hjulmand, may include Rasmus Hojlund in the lineup against Finland on Sunday but does not plan to have the Manchester United striker play the entire 90 minutes.
Hojlund recently made his first appearance of the season, coming off the bench in a 3-1 defeat to Arsenal after a prolonged absence due to a stress fracture in his back. The injury was detected during medical tests following his £72 million transfer from Atalanta.
The Red Devils have taken a cautious approach with the young player, and the Danish national team is also careful about how to handle his playing time during international duty.
The striker recently came off the bench and played for half an hour in a 4-0 victory over San Marino last Thursday. Coach Hjulmand admits that, while he may get more minutes on Sunday, they will still be careful not to push him too hard too soon.
While speaking to Bold.dk (h/t the Manchester Evening News), the Danish coach said:
“Hojlund is probably not ready [to play 90 minutes against Finland]. So the question is whether we should use him from the start or during the game.”
“Hojlund hasn’t had a full preseason, and he only trained for a week before he got a start against Arsenal. So it is not expected that he can play 90 minutes at full steam, and therefore there are considerations about that.”
Hjulmand’s statement implies that Hojlund will go back to United after the international break without having completed a full 90 minutes in a match this season.
Erik ten Hag will have the opportunity to oversee his gradual return to full fitness at the club level. The manager will be careful not to force the player to play hard on his injury since he is very young and should not harbour such injuries in the future.
Man United will face Premier League foes Brighton and Hove Albion after returning from the international break on September 16 at Old Trafford.
It will be another tricky clash for the English giants since the Seagulls are flying high after their recent stunning win over Newcastle United.
Brighton’s Evan Ferguson is in red-hot form, and the United defenders will be careful with their opponent’s direct and attacking style of play under Roberto de Zerbi.
The best way to dominate the Seagulls is by scoring goals, a trait that has been missing in Ten Hag’s team since the start of the season.
The fans will hope that Hojlund will help score more goals after his impressive cameo against Arsenal last weekend.
More Manchester United News
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- Denmark head coach Kasper Hjulmand gives a positive fitness update on Manchester United star Rasmus Hojlund
- New Manchester United midfielder Sofyan Amrabat outlines his winning mentality in first interview
They would also be ready to welcome new signing Sofyan Amrabat to Old Trafford in what might be his first match in a Red shirt.
The match will surely be a blockbuster one, and it truly demands all the attention.
