Man United are under huge PRESSURE in Europa League, admits Christian Eriksen – as he backs Rasmus Hojlund amid near 21-hour goal drought

Manchester United will be under huge pressure to reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League when they meet Real Sociedad again this week, admits Christian Eriksen.

The two teams are level at 1-1 from the first leg in Spain ahead of Thursday’s return at Old Trafford.

With United languishing in 14th place in the Premier League, beating Sociedad would keep alive their final hope of a trophy this season and the reward of a place in the Champions League.

Eriksen admits that the pressure will be on Ruben Amorim’s side with so much at stake.

‘It’s massive,’ said the Denmark midfielder. ‘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.

The Red Devils are set to take on Real Sociedad in the second leg of the round of 16, following their Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Arsenal

Hojlund has now gone nearly 21 hours without a goal as he last found the back of the net in mid-December against Viktoria Plzen

‘It’s where we belong, but we don’t belong being in the lower half 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 Premier League we still need to get a lot of points to go higher.

‘We’re at United, so we have to be higher. But in the end the ball is still rolling on the pitch we so have to just focus on the football and look at the table when hopefully at the end of the season we end up higher and we’ll forget about this. But at the moment we have to fight for it.’

Rasmus Hojlund is likely to return for the second leg after being rested on the bench for much of Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal at Old Trafford.

Hojlund has now gone nearly 21 hours without a goal, but Eriksen believes it is only a matter of time before his fellow Dane comes good.

‘It’s not him, there are a lot of players on the pitch, me included, who should score some more goals,’ he added.

‘But he’s a striker, he lives for the goals, and tries to score goals. He’s in these situations, now 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.’