It’s massive – Christian Eriksen ready for Man Utd’s crucial European clash

Christian Eriksen is ready for Manchester United’s “massive” Europa League clash with Real Sociedad as Ruben Amorim’s men look to keep their season alive.

This has been the Red Devils’ worst campaign in decades, with the injury-hit side out of both domestic cup competitions and languishing 14th in the Premier League.

United’s threadbare side secured an encouraging 1-1 draw against title-chasing Arsenal on Sunday, but need to build on that in Thursday’s Europa League round of 16 second leg against La Real at Old Trafford.

The competition is the last remaining route to silverware and, realistically, European qualification for a side whose ability to rebuild this summer would be damaged should they go out.

“It’s massive,” experienced midfielder Eriksen said with the tie poised at 1-1. “We know the pressure, we know the situation we’re in in the league.

“To get into Europe next season we have to win a lot of games in the league or go through the Europa League, so we know there’s a lot of pressure on that game, but it also comes with being at this club.

“You play for trophies so we have to play well to go through.”

When asked whether it is hard to imagine a United team not being in Europe, Eriksen said: “It’s where they belong, but we don’t belong being in the lower part of the Premier League either so it’s a bit in between.

“We try to do our best to get up (the league). We’re not in a position we want to be in.

“It could save a little bit with the Champions League and the Europa feeling, but in terms of the Prem, we still need to get a lot of points to go higher.”

Eriksen says “it’s not fun” to look at the Premier League standings, with the side having recorded more defeats than wins and managed just 34 goals.

Amorim has been frustrated by that lack of cutting edge, with Sunday the latest example of the team’s struggles and another goalless game for out-of-sorts Rasmus Hojlund, who came off the bench.

“There’s a lot of players on the pitch, me included, that should score some more goals, not only him,” Eriksen said of his Denmark team-mate.

“But obviously he’s a striker, lives for the goals and tries to score goals.

“He’s in these situations (getting chances), it’s about getting the belief of scoring, but he’s a hard-working guy who tries his best and wants his best for the team. At some point it will click and it will go the other way.”

Declan Rice scored Arsenal’s equaliser and produced an excellent tackle to stop Hojlund capitalising on his best-looking opening.

Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, like the hosts, were frustrated not to have found a winner, leaving them 15 points behind leaders Liverpool with just 10 matches to play.

“It was nice having a lot of the ball and passing and moving and having that fluidity, but we didn’t have enough threat in the first half,” Rice said.

“In the second half we opened up a little bit more, had some more chances, but also on the other end of that, we were a bit naive in that last 10 minutes, doing stuff we’ve not done all season and could have easily thrown the game away.

“So, there are two different spins on it for me, and probably a fair point in the end.”