Erik ten Hag calms Rasmus Hojlund injury fears

Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has insisted that Rasmus Hojlund has only suffered "a small injury" and will be missing for a maximum of three weeks, but he could be back on the field sooner.

The 21-year-old has scored seven times in his last six Premier League appearances during an excellent run of form, including a brace in last weekend's 2-1 success at Luton Town.

Man United released a statement on Friday afternoon revealing that Hojlund had picked up a muscular problem, though, with the striker potentially absent for the next three weeks.

Ten Hag has confirmed that the issue was picked up in training, but it is only "a small injury", and the Dutchman hinted that even one week of recovery time could be enough.

"It is a small injury, two to three weeks. That is what happens and the risk [when you are] playing at high intensity, training. As I say it is not a big injury, but he has to wait for one, two, three weeks," the Dutchman told reporters during his press conference on Friday.

© Reuters

Luke Shaw is also facing a long period out with a thigh problem, while Lisandro Martinez, Anthony Martial, Tyrell Malacia, Mason Mount and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are currently on the sidelines.

Ten Hag has admitted his concern over the team's injury problems which have been present throughout the campaign, but he is confident that squad players will be able to step forward.

"Yeah, of course, that is an issue, but that is also the same at other clubs. We have to deal with this. I now have the feeling we can [better deal with it] than we did back in autumn. But still it is an issue when the depth of the squad have to prove it," the manager added.

"Other players will get the opportunity to show their qualities. We are very curious and we have the confidence they can, as this is the reason we constructed this squad heading into the January window.

"We saw that players are developing, progressing, who didn't have the chance lately or in the first half of the season, or they were injured. Now they will get opportunities and now they will get the chance to fit in and to contribute."

© Reuters

Ten Hag also opened up on the importance of Man United qualifying for next season's Champions League, with the team currently sixth in the table, five points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa and three from Tottenham Hotspur in fifth.

"We have now also the right age group across the squad, so we can make that even stronger, they will grow. We will do everything in our power because we have such strong competition, but also we know we have the reason behind it," he said.

"We know in this moment we are not in the position [we want]. We still have to catch up and we are still in the moment where every game is a final for us because we have to be in the Champions League.

"The players want this, the team want this, we have strong ambition and we belong there and we believe [in it]. But we also have to prove it."

Man United will be bidding to make it five Premier League victories in a row when they welcome Fulham to Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.