Victor Lindelof admits to having “struggled through matches” at Manchester United this season, with the Swedish defender nursing a back complaint.
Niggling knocks are a way of life for professional footballers, with it rare for elite sportspeople to feel 100 per cent given the demands placed on their bodies.
Lindelof concedes that he has been feeling the strain in 2020-21, with the 26-year-old having to play through pain.
He has taken in 12 appearances for club and country in the current campaign, with nine of those coming for United, and is still searching for consistency.
Questions have been asked of his form and fitness, with Lindelof revealing that he has found it difficult at times to drag himself through Premier League outings.
He told Fotbollskanalen: “The back feels okay. I’ve been having problems for a few weeks. I’ve struggled through the matches there’s been.
“It’s nice that I got a few days off now where there has only been treatment and I really tried to rest.”
Lindelof has been able to take in a much-needed rest after being blocked from linking up with the Sweden squad for the first of their fixtures during the November international break.
With the United Kingdom imposing travel bans on those moving in and out of Denmark, amid coronavirus concerns in the Scandinavian nation, Lindelof was prevented from taking part in a friendly staged in Copenhagen.
He has, however, been cleared to figure in UEFA Nations League clashes with Croatia and France.
It remains to be seen how much game time he will see in those fixtures, given his fitness concerns, but the United centre-half says he is ready if required.
Lindelof added: “It [my back] felt good in training. Hopefully there should be no problems.
“If they want me to play, I will try to play and see how it feels. Then after that we will see how the back will be.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be hoping that no unnecessary risks are taken by Sweden on one of his players, with United set to return to Premier League action on November 21 with a home date against West Brom.
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