After a couple of weeks spent on the sidelines at Manchester United, the Premier League rising star’s national team boss is understandably keen to avoid a repeat of the injury issues which kept him out for four successive games under Erik ten Hag.
That does not mean, however, that Lisandro Martinez’s Old Trafford team-mate will spent the international break – like the Argentine centre-half – building up his fitness away from the pitch.
Martinez is not expected to feature for the World Cup winners during their friendlies with El Salvador and Costa Rica. The same cannot be said of Rasmus Hojlund, however, with Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand confirming that the Manchester United striker will be in the team from the get-go when Switzerland arrive in Copenhagen on Saturday.
Manchester United star edging back to full fitness
“He plays from the start against Switzerland,” Hjulmand tells TV2.
The former Mainz boss has spoken with Manchester United as club and country look to come to an agreement over exactly how hard Hojlund should be worked following a couple of weeks on the treatment table with a muscle problem.
Hjulmand, however, insists that there are ‘no restrictions on how (long) he can play’ against the Swiss. After making his return to Erik ten Hag’s XI and playing 71 minutes during Sunday’s 4-3 FA Cup victory over Liverpool, it is not out of the question that Hojlund will make his first 90-minute outing in six weeks.
Rasmus Hojlund to start as Denmark host Switzerland
“He plays on Saturday, and then we’ll see what happens from there,” adds Hjulmand, who is nonetheless keen to avoid risking a repeat of those injury issues with Euro 2024 only three months away.
“There are no restrictions on him for the first game. There are never restrictions on anyone, but it is about what is wise to do for Rasmus after he has been out.
“We make a plan for what is best for Rasmus to get the best build-up, both for us and for (Man United’s) benefit. It’s not the case that we just smash players through with a risk that he could be injured, and that then affects our European Championships. That won’t make sense.”
Hojlund’s Man United team-mate Christian Eriksen is also expected to start against Switzerland.