Eriksen has struggled for minutes in recent games.
But Ten Hag told Viaplay: "Kobbie Mainoo's development and progress means that the competition has become greater, and therefore there is one less place to fight for - and that goes beyond Christian Eriksen - but he is important to us. We will need his forward passes very much.
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"He just has to wait for his chance. Of course, he is not satisfied with being a reserve - anything else will also be strange.
"He doesn't like it, but he knows he has to wait. But he can't wait, he just wants to play."