Lindelof ´always wants to play´ amid difficult start at Man Utd

Victor Lindelof would rather be playing as he adapts to life at Manchester United, but concedes he faces intense competition for a first-team spot.

After a poor performance against Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup, Lindelof has been left out of United’s Premier League side for their first three games, failing to even make the substitutes’ bench on two of those occasions.

The central defensive partnership between Eric Bailly and Phil Jones has impressed as Jose Mourinho’s men have kept three consecutive clean sheets, with Chris Smalling also vying for a starting spot.

Mourinho has cited Lindelof’s lack of experience in England as his reason for leaving the Sweden international out, but the defender feels he is adjusting well and will soon be ready to vie for a first-team place.

“It’s clear that you always want to play,” Lindelof, a €45milion buy from Benfica in June, said to fotbollskanalen.

“It’s tough competition with very good players. So we’ll see how it gets, but of course you always want to play.

“I have just got to the club. The last training week has gone very well and I feel I’m getting into it more and more.

“It has been good – getting to know the club, everything around, all the players, the leaders and the system. It is a very important time for me.

“It is clear that there is a difference. There are more eyes on Manchester United than there are on Benfica.”

Lindelof, 23, is with the Sweden squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Belarus.