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Man Utd news: Sven-Goran Eriksson leaps to defence of one United star - ‘He is great'
MANCHESTER UNITED defender Victor Lindelof needs backing from manager Jose Mourinho for him to show his true ability at Old Trafford.
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That is according to former England and Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Lindelof joined Manchester United from Benfica in the summer of 2017 for around £30million.
However, the Swede failed to nail down a starting spot and struggled when he did get into the team.
Lindelof starred for Sweden at the World Cup this summer, helping them reach the quarter-final stage.
We're talking about a very good football player. For Sweden he's been fantastic,
He started the first two games of the season for Manchester United but was dropped to the bench for the 3-0 loss to Tottenham.
Eriksson admits Lindelof was guilty of a couple of errors when he came off the bench against Tottenham.
But he says criticism from his manager is not what his fellow Swede needs.
"I have to say he did two great mistakes last match, and he was lucky he got away with them," Eriksson told Sky Sports.
"But you don't expect that from him.
"But we're talking about a very good football player.
“For Sweden he's been fantastic, they got to the [World Cup] quarter-final.
“He was important in qualification. He is a great player, no doubts about that.
"When you're criticised as a player or a coach, life is difficult.
“You have to come back but if you don't have the manager or the coach defending you, life is even more difficult, much more difficult.
"So I think me, now I'm talking about me, in all the teams I had if it's a club, you have to defend your players at any cost because if you don't do that, who is going to defend them?
“The wife, or the mother or father, yes but you have to stick with them."